LANSING, Mich. — A Kalamazoo County jury convicted former Fabius Township Supervisor Kenneth Linn of sex crimes, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting announced Friday.
The Michigan Department of Attorney General says the two-week trial stemmed from the statewide Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI).
“Our SAKI units in Kalamazoo and across the state perform incredible work in our pursuit of justice in cold-case sexual assaults,” Nessel said. “These are often very difficult investigations and prosecutions, and our talented SAKI teams rise to the occasion time and again. I am thankful for their efforts and our partnership with Prosecutor Getting in securing these convictions, and to the victim in this case, who showed great courage and strength in her testimony as she sought justice all these years later.”
The jury deliberated for fewer than three hours before returning their verdict Thursday.
“I am incredibly proud of the work done by the Kalamazoo SAKI team,” Prosecutor Getting added. “This trial was the culmination of hundreds of hours of work by dedicated investigators, victim advocates and attorneys. With their help and support, a survivor of sexual assault has seen that the system works. The man who took advantage of her, who hurt her, will now be sent to prison for his actions.”
Nessel’s office says the assaults occurred in 2010.
Linn reportedly volunteered to “look after” and take home an extremely intoxicated golf course employee after a golf outing in St. Joseph County.
Nessel says the employee had been consuming alcohol alongside and with the encouragement of Linn and other golfers.
Linn then engaged in numerous sexually penetrative acts with the young victim at a home in Portage, when she was physically helpless due to extreme intoxication and unable to give consent, according to Nessel’s office.
The victim has no memory of the sex acts but suffered physical injury and DNA evidence collected later identified Linn.
An exam was performed the day after the assault, but the kit was not submitted for lab testing until years later.
The Kalamazoo SAKI unit received approval in 2021 to resubmit the victim’s kit for further testing based on advances in DNA testing.
Additional testing identified Linn’s DNA on the victim’s cervical smears in 2022, and he was charged later that year.
Each charged is punishable by up to life in prison.
Linn’s sentencing is scheduled for April 16.
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