A Macomb County judge gave 43-year-old former wrestling referee Stephen Livings a tightly limited pass to attend a middle-school graduation yesterday, even as he faces felony charges in circuit court. The one-time exception applied only to that single ceremony and followed a request from Livings' attorney for permission to be there.
Judge's order and timeline
According to court records, Livings' attorney filed a motion asking that he be allowed to attend a graduation at JFK Middle School, and the judge signed off with strict time limits. Livings was authorized to be at the school from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on June 8. At the same hearing, the court entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf and adjourned the case until July 23, 2026, according to ClickOnDetroit.
Arrest and charges
Livings was arrested by Warren police in December after an investigation that began when the teen's parents came forward, and he was arraigned in February on felony counts of using a computer to commit a crime and accosting a child for immoral purposes, according to CBS Detroit. Prosecutors allege he took the teen's phone, added his contact information and later sent messages, images and videos. His bond was set at $10,000, and he remains free on bond while the case moves forward.
Referee background and MHSAA suspension
Livings had been a registered official with the Michigan High School Athletic Association since 2020 and also coached middle-school wrestling, with local reporting noting he worked state-level events at Ford Field in recent years. The MHSAA suspended him from officiating as soon as staff learned of the charges and said background checks are conducted during the registration process, according to C&G Newspapers.
Legal context
Under Michigan law, accosting a child for immoral purposes is a felony that can carry a sentence of up to four years in prison. The state's computer-crime statutes provide penalties that vary depending on the underlying offense, so the potential punishment in any given case turns on the specific charges and how prosecutors frame them. For more details, see Michigan Courts and the Michigan Legislature on computer-related offenses.
What's next
Livings' attorney has urged the public to withhold judgment and stressed the presumption of innocence, while prosecutors have characterized the allegations as disturbing, according to local coverage. The defense motion led to the narrow, one-time exception that let Livings attend the graduation ceremony, but the criminal case itself is still pending and is set to return to Macomb County court on the scheduled date, according to C&G Newspapers.
