An Oakland County jury acquitted Farmington Hills police officer Michael Rybinski of all sex-crime charges Tuesday, clearing the 32-year-old Wixom resident after a trial that lasted less than two days at Oakland County Circuit Court. Rybinski had faced one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct stemming from allegations involving a fellow police cadet.
According to The Oakland Press, the jury found Rybinski not guilty on all counts on Sept. 15, following jury deliberations that capped the brief trial. A visiting judge, James Alexander, presided over the proceedings.
The case centered on allegations that Rybinski tried to kiss and grope the cadet in her car after she agreed to give him a ride home, with prosecutors alleging he persisted despite repeated demands that he stop. The Oakland Press reported in earlier coverage that the alleged victim reported the incident the following day, and that the assault was said to have occurred while Rybinski was off duty and outside Farmington Hills' jurisdiction.
Conflicting Details Surround Timeline and Leave Status
The current report identifies Rybinski as 32 and dates the alleged assault to June 19, 2025. It describes him as having been placed on unpaid leave from the department and does not mention any suspension of his law-enforcement authority.
Rybinski was accused of groping and forcibly fondling the cadet in addition to trying to kiss her, according to the allegations detailed by the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office. Throughout the case, he maintained his innocence and cooperated with the Farmington Hills Police Department's internal investigation, and as with any defendant, he was presumed innocent until the jury's verdict.
Defense Attorney Says Case Caused Lasting Harm
Colin McLaughlin, who represented Rybinski alongside attorney Amber Lee, said the public outcry over his client's position as a police officer caused issues in the case to be overlooked. McLaughlin said Rybinski has an impeccable record as an officer and during his previous military service, and argued the proceeding caused immeasurable harm to Rybinski's life. McLaughlin said he had no information about Rybinski's future plans.
The city of Farmington Hills said it respects the judicial process and the jury's decision, according to the same Oakland Press report. Rybinski may now seek reinstatement as a Farmington Hills police officer, though any such move would be subject to his rights under the collective bargaining agreement and requirements set by the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards. John Piggott serves as chief of the Farmington Hills Police Department.
Not the First Michigan Acquittal to Raise Reinstatement Questions
Rybinski's case echoes other recent Michigan law enforcement acquittals that have raised similar reinstatement questions. In Macomb County, a jury found former Warren police officer James Burke not guilty on all counts in a fatal-crash case in June, according to Macomb County. The Warren Police Department subsequently considered reinstating Burke, as reported by CBS News Detroit. A separate case saw Detroit police officer Michael Anthony Carson cleared of criminal sexual misconduct charges in Oakland County in 2023, according to ClickOnDetroit.
