Suspected Child Predator Heads to Trial in Canton

Jesse Hermann had a hearing Friday in 35th District Court.

Jesse Hermann, 34, of Walled Lake, the accused child predator, could face 20 years in prison if he is convicted of two counts of child sexually abusive activity and using a computer and the Internet to communicate with another person to commit a crime. The Observer and Eccentric reports that 35th District Judge Michael Gerou ruled Friday that Hermann should stand trial amid allegations he made sexual advances through Facebook instant message. On Feb. 13, police arrested Hermann outside a Canton hotel after authorities say the mother contacted police regarding sexual chats on Facebook, according to the report.  Read the whole story on hometownlife.com.

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2 Men Get Probation for Using Fake Credit Cards at Canton Banks

The two men from Chicago plead guilty to obtaining the money under false pretenses.

Two men who used fraudulent credit cards to get cash from Canton banks have been sentenced to two years of probation, according to an article in the Observer & Eccentric. Tiras Kaneil Prothro and Tabrian Jovan Collins, both 29 and from Chicago, plead guilty to obtaining $1,000 to $20,000 under false pretenses. The plea helped the two avoid a five-year prison sentence, and they will not go to trial for having a fraudulent financial transaction device, according to the article. The two were arrested in January as they left the Bank of America on Michigan Avenue in Canton.

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Canton Police Lieutenant Faces Multiple Felony Gun Charges

Lt Jerry Hardesty, 55, was arraigned Tuesday on several charges stemming from a criminal investigation conducted by the Michigan State Police.

A Canton police lieutenant was arraigned at the 35th District Court Tuesday afternoon on multiple felony gun charges. Lt. Jerry Hardesty, 55, faces charges of larceny of a firearm, which carries a maximum two year sentence; receiving/concealing stolen property, a 10 year sentence and $5,000 fine and felony firearm, a five year sentence and $2,500 fine. Canton Public Safety Director Todd Mutchler said his office was made aware in February of a missing long gun, not a pistol, belonging to the department. The Michigan State Police Special Investigation Section launched a criminal investigation in March, during which Hardesty became a suspect. Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw said he could not disclose the specific caliber gun, which was …

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Canton Resident, Detroit Police Officer Charged for Several Local Robberies

Clifton Whatley is a suspect in the Feb. 6 armed robbery of the Family Dollar in Canton.

Detroit Police Officer and Canton resident Clifton Whatley was arraigned in court Thursday for allegedly organizing several robberies in Wayne County, according to an article in the Observer & Eccentric. One of the robberies Whatley is suspected of organizing is the Feb. 6 armed robbery of the Family Dollar on Joy Road in Canton. According to the Observer & Eccentric, Whatley, 34, is also a suspect in robberies in Taylor, Westland, Harper Woods and Melvindale that have occurred during the past year. A second suspect, Layman D. Armstrong, was also arraigned Thursday. Whatley has been a police officer since 2000 and now faces charges of armed robbery, bank robbery, unlawful imprisonment, conducting a criminal enterprise, and felony firearm, …

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Bullet Hole Found on Car in Canton, Police Investigating Ties to Washtenaw County Shootings

The owner of the vehicle works in Canton and reported the bullet hole to police on Friday.

Canton police are working with Washtenaw County officials to investigate a bullet hole reported in a car in Canton last Friday. There is a possibility the incident is related to reported vehicle shootings in Bridgewater and Pittsfield townships early this week. According to Sgt. Dave Schreiner of the Canton Township Police Department, a man who commutes from the Ann Arbor area to work at Michigan Avenue and Beck Road in Canton reported a hole in the door of his vehicle that looked like a bullet hole. "This was reported during pretty much the same timeframe as the other shootings, and we wanted to make sure we help get them the information they need to investigate this case," Schreiner said. "We want to see if there is any possible …

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Convicted Canton Child Molestor Gets 30-60 Years in Prison

Robert Kahler was sentenced Wednesday for sexually molesting a 9-year-old girl.

Canton resident Robert Carl Kahler was sentenced to 30-60 years in court Wednesday for sexually assaulting a girl in his neighborhood when she was 9 years old, according to an article in the Observer & Eccentric. Kahler, 57, was arraigned on the charges back in 2011 and found guilty by a Wayne County Circuit Court jury this February. Kahler was sentenced to 30-60 years in prison for first-degree criminal sexual conduct and 10-15 years in prison for second-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to the Observer & Eccentric. “Our entire family is very grateful that this is all over and we finally got justice,” the victim’s mother said in an email to the Canton Observer.

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Crime Report

Woman in Fender Bender Reports Hit and Run in Canton

Woman rear-ends vehicle, tells police she was pushed forward by another vehicle.

Canton Police responded March 12 to Ford and Lilley roads for a report of an accident involving a blue Caravan and a black Enclave, according to a police report. Police found both involved vehicles in an adjacent parking lot and spoke with the driver of the blue Caravan, who told police she was stopped on Ford just west of Lilley when her vehicle jumped forward, striking the back of the Buick in front of her vehicle. She told police a white car struck her vehicle from behind and pushed her Caravan forward, but was unable to provide a description for the make of vehicle, the report indicated. No white vehicle was spotted at the scene, according to the report. The driver of the Enclave told police he did not see any other vehicle and did not…

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Crime Report

Man Cited on Charge of Obstructing an Officer in Canton

Police: Man provided incorrect names, birth dates while being investigated in shoplifting incident.

Canton Township Police responded March 8 to CVS at Cherry Hill and Canton Center roads for a report of three men suspected of shoplifting, according to a police report. According to the report, an officer arrived and stopped a man pushing an empty cart matching the description of one of the three men. The man told the officer he didn’t steal anything and appeared agitated, the report indicated. The man gave police incorrect names and birth dates before finally giving his real name, which showed three warrants, according to the report. Police cited the man on a charge of obstructing a police officer. He has a March 18 court date. The man is not facing charges in connection with the reported shoplifting.

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Accident Flips Day Care Bus at Sheldon, Warren Roads in Canton

No children were on board during accident involving Children's Hour bus.

Canton police and fire crews responded about 10:30 a.m. Monday to the scene of an accident that flipped a day care bus at the corner of Sheldon and Warren roads in Canton, according to WXYZ-TV. According to the report, the bus was T-boned by an SUV traveling northbound on Sheldon Road, causing extensive damage to the SUV and flipping the bus on its side. The name on the side of the bus is "Children's Hour," a child care center that is located at 5840 North Canton Center Rd. in Canton. Jackie Clark from The Children's Hour confirmed to Plymouth-Canton Patch that the bus belonged to the center and that no children were on board at the time of the accident. According to Canton Police, the only person on board the bus was its 50-year-old …

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