Mount Clemens

Mount Clemens man facing sexual assault charges

By Julie Snyder
C & G Staff Writer

Sklar

MOUNT CLEMENS — A Mount Clemens resident and registered sex offender remains in jail this week on multiple charges, including sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy.

John Sklar Jr., 43, was arrested on unrelated charges on Dec. 21 at his home on Washington Street by investigators from the Macomb County sheriff’s office. Macomb officials were accompanied by detectives from the Ingham County Sheriff’s Office who had a warrant to search his home.

According to court records from Ingham County Circuit Court in Mason, Mich., detectives began investigating Sklar in November 2012 after a Delhi Township boy informed police that he was sexually assaulted by the suspect.

“The crime occurred in June 2011, when the boy was 14 years old,” said Ingham County Detective Annie Harrison. “But he didn’t report the assault until November of last year.”

Harrison said the crime occurred in Delhi Township, located just south of Lansing, before Sklar moved to Mount Clemens.

She said items seized from Sklar’s home are being analyzed by the Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Harrison said Sklar is a registered sex offender from a 1998 conviction in Oakland County.

On the same day as his arrest, Sklar was arraigned in 55th District Court in Mason on two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct (relationship) and distributing sexually explicit material to a child.

He remains lodged in jail with no bond, and Harrison said a preliminary examination was scheduled for 9 a.m. Jan. 17 in front of Ingham County District Court Judge Thomas Boyd. The exam, which took place after press time for this issue of The Journal, was to determine whether or not the case would go to trial.

Sklar’s court-appointed attorney, Timothy Havis, of Lansing, said his client maintains his innocence and that some of the accusations made against Sklar will be addressed further during the preliminary exam.

“There are some credibility issues with some of the witnesses,” he said. “I will look at that further on (Jan. 17).”

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Julie Snyder at jsnyder@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1039.