Stephen Livings
By: Brian Wells | C&G Newspapers | Published February 20, 2026
WARREN — A Roseville man who served as a high school referee is facing charges after allegedly sending inappropriate messages to a high school student.
Stephen Livings, 43, of Roseville, was arraigned on charges related to interactions with a teenage girl he encountered while refereeing high school wrestling matches.
A press release from the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office states Livings is a high school wrestling referee who approached a high school student and tried to obtain her social media information and asked personal questions.
On another occasion, according to the release, he took her phone and added his contact information. He then sent her inappropriate messages, images and videos.
Livings was arraigned Feb. 6 before 37th District Court Judge Stephen Bieda. He is facing charges of using a computer to commit a crime, a seven-year felony, and accosting a child for immoral purposes, a four-year felony.
Bieda set a $10,000 personal bond for Livings, which he posted, according to court records.
Warren Police Lt. John Gajewski said the case was brought to the department’s attention by a third party who reported inappropriate activity which generated an investigation in early January. The charges were authorized on Jan. 29, and Livings was arrested and arraigned on Feb. 6, Gajewski said.
“This is just inappropriate on so many levels, but when it’s an adult that has a little bit of authority and connections to a school, it just adds another layer of inappropriateness to this,” he said.
Gajewski also said the school resource officer was “instrumental” in getting the case investigated.
“The school resource officer was just that: a resource to the officers, and more importantly to the victim in this case, which helped get this across the finish line,” he said.
Geoff Kimmerly, communications director for the Michigan High School Athletic Association, said officials are independent contractors who are hired by the schools.
“Schools hire them, either through a league assigner or just on their own,” Kimmerly said. “We hire officials for our tournament events, but obviously this isn’t somebody who would be eligible for a tournament event.”
Livings has been suspended by the MHSAA, he said.
Kimmerly added that when an official registers with the MHSAA for the first time, they do a background check. Then, every year, they conduct another background check one-third of their officials.
“We’re constantly cycling through re-background checking everybody,” he said. “We had not found anything that was a red flag in any previous background checks.”
“Mr. Livings is a citizen of the United States of America. As is every citizen’s right, Mr. Livings is presumed innocent under the law,” his attorney, Donald Andrews, said in a statement. “We look forward to challenging the allegations charged by the state and will pursue the truth in the court of law.”
Andrews added that he hopes the public will reserve judgement about the guilt or innocence of any citizen until a full accounting of the facts.
Livings is scheduled for a preliminary exam at 10 a.m. April 9 before Bieda in the 37th District Court.