(WXYZ) — A former Michigan basketball coach was sentenced to five to 15 years in prison for criminal sexual conduct involving a minor.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says Jerrell Sanders, 31, pleaded guilty to a charge of third-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a person between the ages of 13 and 15.
He was sentenced in Ingham County 30th Circuit Court by Judge Rosemarie Aquilina.
Sanders was charged in November 2019 by the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, which referred the case to the AG's office due to a conflict of interest. The case was sent to the Ingham County court after judges in Jackson County also recused themselves due to conflicts of interest.
“Sexual predators come in a variety of different forms, but many use their notoriety and positions of power to prey on their subordinates and others in vulnerable situations,” Nessel said in a press release. “This behavior is inexcusable, immoral and criminal, and those who think they can use their authority for their own twisted agendas must answer for their misdeeds.”
The felony count stems from an incident that occurred Nov. 5, 2019, when Sanders engaged in sexual intercourse with a minor who was 15 years old at the time.
Sanders was an East Jackson High School girls basketball coach, and also coached for Michigan Premier Basketball, a non-school affiliated basketball program, at the Michigan Sports Facility of Jackson where he mentored young women and girls.
