Warren

Former rape suspect arrested after new allegations

By Brian Louwers
C & G Staff Writer

WARREN — Michael Cristini, once imprisoned, retried and later freed after facing rape and kidnapping charges stemming from a 1990 incident is again in police custody, this time charged with a series of alleged sexual assaults involving a 5-year-old girl.

According to Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer, Cristini, 44, was arrested late on Dec. 4 at his home in the 8400 block of Sherman on an eight-count felony warrant bearing charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Cristini was arraigned on Dec. 5 before Judge Dawnn Gruenburg in the 37th District Court and ordered held on a $750,000 cash or surety bond. A plea of not guilty was entered. Court officials said a defense attorney had not filed an appearance in the case at press time.

Police said Cristini’s arrest came after officials with Child Protective Services started looking into allegations last month that he began sexually assaulting his 5-year-old niece in early 2004.

“The family had gone to protective services and made the report. We investigated it,” Dwyer said. “The delay, for the record, would be because of the relationship between the victim and the suspect. I think the victim and the family both had concerns because of the embarrassment.

“This is not unusual in this type of case. We’re fortunate that the victim and the family did come forward,” Dwyer said.

The alleged sexual assaults were said to have taken place over a one-year period after they began in April 2004, approximately six months after Cristini was released from prison and granted a retrial for his then alleged role in the brutal rape of his friend Jeffrey Moldowan’s former girlfriend.

Moldowan and Cristini were both retried in Macomb County Circuit Court and acquitted after controversial bite mark evidence used by prosecutors during the first trial was called into question.

The case generated even more attention when a federal grand jury launched a probe into campaign contributions given to former Macomb County Prosecuting Attorney Carl Marlinga during his 2002 congressional campaign, including one given to him by Realtor Ralph Roberts, who had employed Moldowan’s sister.

The investigation focused in part on a brief Marlinga had submitted to the Michigan Supreme Court discrediting the bite-mark evidence used in the Moldowan trial. Marlinga was accused of taking an $8,000 campaign contribution from Roberts in exchange for using his position as the Macomb County prosecutor to influence the criminal case.

Marlinga was indicted on public corruption charges and later cleared of all allegations in U.S. District Court. Roberts was also cleared of any wrongdoing.

Cristini is scheduled to be back before a judge in Warren on Dec. 18 for a preliminary examination on the new charges.  He could face life in prison if convicted. 

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Brian Louwers at brianlouwers@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1089.