Judge Faces Sexual Assault Charges

NOVI, MI — A 74-year-old Novi man was bound over to Wayne County Circuit Tuesday on charges of criminal sexual conduct in connection with an incident in Livonia last December. Henry Perez will be arraigned at the court on April 11 and is currently free on a $3,000/10 percent bond.

Perez was bound over in Livonia’s 16th District Court after a preliminary examination. A Federal administrative law judge, Perez stands accused of four counts of criminal sexual conduct stemming from an incident at a Livonia Social Security office where he works within the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, according to a Detroit Free report.

His alleged victim was the only witness to testify at Tuesday’s preliminary examination. The attack came after Perez called the woman into his office, she testified. During the ordeal, the judge is alleged to have groped and sucked on the woman’s breast, grabbed her genitals over her pants, and touched her buttocks.

The victim testified that she told Perez to stop during the attack, but that he overpowered her. The Free Press reported that the woman was eventually able to get away from Perez. She did not immediately report the incident.

"He's a judge," the woman testified, according to the Free Press. "I felt like nobody would believe me."

She later reported the incident to her immediate supervisor. Livonia Police were called to investigate and the victim was taken to an area hospital where a rape kit test was performed.

Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Danielle Bennetts introduced the test results into evidence the preliminary examination, the Free Press reported. It showed a high probability that she had been assaulted.

Perez was charged in the case earlier this month. If convicted, he could face up to two years in prison.

Photo by North Charleston via Flickr Commons