ANN ARBOR (MI)
Ann Arbor News
Dec. 6, 2019
By Nathan Clark
A religious volunteer at the Washtenaw County Jail has been found guilty of inappropriately touching inmates during prayer sessions.
After a four-day trial, a jury found Robert Roleke guilty Thursday, Dec. 5, of two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct through force or coercion, court records show.
Roleke, 82, of Whitmore Lake, was charged in 2018, six years after an inmate told officers Roleke grabbed his genitals during a “fake” prayer session in 2012, records show.
Roleke has maintained his innocence throughout the case, and his attorney, James Fifelski, questioned the motivation of the inmate, citing his criminal history and drug use.
Fifelski also stated there could be anti-religious sentiment in the case, due to an onslaught of sexual assault charges against Catholic priests in recent years.
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