View The Attached Document

Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Mateen Cleaves, 39, of Grand Blanc, Michigan in connection with an alleged sexual assault of a 24-year-old Mount Morris, Michigan woman. On September 14, 2015, Cleaves was at a charity golf outing where he was introduced to the complainant, her boyfriend and several co-workers. After the outing, Cleaves and the group went a local bar where they had drinks. On September 15, 2016, at approximately 1:00 a.m., they all left the bar. The complainant's boyfriend gave a friend a ride home. The victim, thinking they would return to the golf club, rode with Cleaves in his car. It is alleged that Cleaves took the complainant to a motel located in the 2400 block of West Grand Blanc, in Mundy Township, held her in a room against her will, and sexually assaulted her. The complainant was able to escape from the room and received assistance from a woman in a nearby room. The case was investigated by the Mundy Township Police Department. Further information about the case will be presented in court at the preliminary examination.
On October 23, 2015, the case was transferred to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office by the Prosecuting Attorney's Coordinating Counsel. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton requested the transfer due to a possible conflict of interest with a potential witness in the case. Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Lisa Lindsey will prosecute the case in Genesee County.

Cleaves has been charged with Unlawful Imprisonment (15-year maximum penalty), Assault with Intent to Commit Criminal Sexual Penetration (10 year maximum penalty), Criminal Sexual Conduct Second Degree (15-year maximum penalty) and two counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct Third Degree (15-years maximum penalty).

The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office was informed today with short notice that instead of arraigning Cleaves tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. that 67th District Court Judge M. Kathy Dowd is allowing the defendant to be arraigned this morning. WCPO had the officer in charge of the case contact the defense attorney yesterday to inform him of the arraignment date and time. This morning WCPO requested that the arraignment take place on March 17, 2016 at 9:00 a.m., but the court has decided to go forward with the arraignment this morning. The defendant has received a bond of $150,000 personal bond, and will have his probable cause hearing on March 29, 2016 at 8:30 a.m., and the preliminary examination on April 5, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. before Judge Dowd.

Prosecutor Worthy said, "I don't know how they do things in Genesee County but we try our best to be as transparent as possible when my office is involved. There was an agreement with all of the parties that the defendant would turn himself in and be arraigned in open court tomorrow - not for him to have a back door arraignment. The public has a right to know and frankly, I am extremely disappointed that this was handled so clandestinely today. I hope this is not a precursor of things to come."

# # # # #