A 26-year-old Berkley man who prosecutors say used Snapchat to lure teenagers with vapes, marijuana and alcohol in exchange for sex is set to learn his fate in two separate Oakland County cases on October 29. Darren Bradford pleaded no contest on September 10 to nine counts of criminal sexual conduct in his Berkley case and also pleaded no contest in a separate Bloomfield Township case. He is already serving a 2-to-15-year prison sentence out of a third case in Grosse Pointe Park.
Bradford's Berkley case alone carries eight counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, as reported by C & G Newspapers. He is scheduled to be sentenced in that case at 8:30 a.m. on October 29 in circuit court, with his Bloomfield Township sentencing set for the same day. Under Michigan Compiled Laws § 750.520d, third-degree criminal sexual conduct is a felony punishable by up to 15 years in state prison for each count, while fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct under MCL § 750.520e is a misdemeanor carrying up to two years in prison and a $500 fine, according to the Michigan Legislature.
How the Berkley Investigation Began
The case traces back to February 2025, when Berkley police were given information that a number of teens had frequently visited an apartment complex in the city, according to the department. Berkley Department of Public Safety officers launched an undercover surveillance operation on February 5, 2025, after receiving a community tip, observing minors visit Bradford's residence and go to lunch before arresting him at his home on February 21, 2025, under a $175,000 cash bond with GPS tether monitoring, as detailed by ClickOnDetroit.
Bradford allegedly distributed illegal substances and alcohol to minors, including nicotine or marijuana vape products, according to Berkley police. A teen later reported being sexually assaulted after visiting the apartment complex. Per the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office statement reported by the same outlet in March 2025, Bradford allegedly used Snapchat to contact local high school students and coerce a 15-year-old girl into sexual acts in exchange for vape products, marijuana and alcohol.
Prosecutor Calls Him a 'Serial Predator'
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald publicly characterized Bradford as a “serial predator who exploited teenagers too young to consent” after filing seven additional criminal sexual conduct charges against him in late March 2025, according to FOX 2 Detroit. Separately, Oakland County prosecutors charged Bradford in March 2025 in the Bloomfield Township case, alleging a vape-for-sex arrangement with a 15-year-old girl at her home and in his vehicle, the station reported.
Bradford was bound over to Oakland County Circuit Court in the Berkley and Bloomfield Township cases. Bradford had other sexual assault cases in Bloomfield Township and Grosse Pointe Park, per C & G Newspapers. Berkley Sgt. Dave Arney told the outlet the investigation was lengthy and involved more than one jurisdiction, but that it ultimately worked out.
Wayne County Sentence Already Underway
In December 2025, Wayne County Circuit Court sentenced Bradford to two to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old Grosse Pointe girl in his vehicle. Bradford's attorney, Nicole Blank Becker, could not be reached for comment, C & G Newspapers reported. Arney said he was happy the case was over so victims could move on and put it behind them.
Some individuals convicted of third-degree criminal sexual conduct are subject to sex-offender registration and reporting requirements. It remains to be seen whether the Oakland County judge will order Bradford's new sentences to run concurrently or consecutively to his existing Wayne County prison term.
Statewide Push for Tougher Sentences
Bradford's case has unfolded against a backdrop of growing legislative pressure in Lansing. In September, the Michigan House of Representatives passed legislation seeking to enact mandatory minimum prison sentences for criminal sexual conduct convictions statewide, with lawmakers citing a recent high-profile Orion Township carjacking and shooting during floor debates, as Hoodline previously reported. Bradford's dual sentencings next week will mark the next step in a case that has stretched across three Metro Detroit communities and two counties since his initial Berkley arrest last year.
