Michael Beebe (left), 47, of Wyandotte, who faces multiple criminal sexual conduct charges, appears with defense attorney Alvin Sallen at the Aug. 15 probable cause hearing in Wyandotte’s 27th District Court, at which Judge Elizabeth DiSanto declined to reduce his $50,000 cash bond.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
WYANDOTTE – Defendant Michael Beebe, 47, of Wyandotte will remain in jail, with Judge Elizabeth DiSanto of the 27th District Court declining to reduce his $50,000 cash bond.
Beebe’s next appearance is at 9 a.m. Aug. 23 in Wayne County Circuit Court in Detroit.
Beebe, whom Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Makepeace calls a flight risk, faced a probable cause hearing Aug. 15 for the 15 criminal sexual conduct charges he faces for his alleged conduct with three different girls.
Deputy Police Chief Archie Hamilton said Beebe, who was arrested July 25, and arraigned July 26, faces 15 counts: four counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree, four counts of CSC in the first degree with a person under the age of 13; four counts of CSC in the second degree with a person under the age of 13; and one count of aggravated criminally sexually abusive material.
At the Aug. 15 hearing, an 8-year-old girl testified in a closed courtroom, followed by testimony in open court from the mother of a 3-year-old female victim, who is a neighbor, and an 18-year-old girl who testified to Beebe CSC’s at his auto shop and at his home when she was a minor and picking up her niece, who was playing with Beebe’s daughter.
The judge also heard testimony from Wyandotte Police Detective Ken Grott, who executed the original search warrant, and the computer forensic examiner, Livonia Police Detective Sgt. Wade Higgason.
Higgason established that the sexually abusive material was stored in the same places as other photographs directly related to photos tied to and identifying Beebe.
The search warrant executed against Beebe was for two computers, two computer towers and three cell phones, from which criminally sexually abusive material was found, including photos of a male sexual anal penetration of a prepubescent child, photos of a young girl touching an aroused adult male, also known as “erotic fondling,” and close up photos of fingers vaginally penetrating a prepubescent girl for gratification.
The mother of the 3-year-old testified, explaining what her daughter told her their neighbor did to her when she was at the home playing with Beebe’s young daughter.
An 18-year-old girl testified how Beebe “smacked her ass” when, as a minor, she picked up her car from his auto repair shop, and when she picked up her niece who had been playing with Beebe’s daughter at his residence.
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Makepeace characterized Beebe’s actions against the teen girl as unwanted sexual gratification or humiliation.
Defense attorney Alvin Allen questioned why the teen’s “butt smacking” accusations, which occurred several years ago, were only now being reported.
The penetration charges were amended from vaginal to anal.
DiSanto said that the elements of all of the charges have met the burden of proof required for the case to go forward.
(Sue Suchyta can be reached at [email protected])