ANTRIM CO. -- An Antrim County foster parent is behind bars, accused of assaulting a young girl over a five year period. Investigators believe there could be more victims.
The Antrim County Sheriff Department arrested Jere Clark, 69, Thursday. Clark is accused of sexually assaulting the girl from an extended period of time from the Summer of 2004 to late December 2009.
The Antrim County Prosecuting Attorney, Charles H. Koop, in conjunction with Erin House, Special Assistant Attorney General (SAAG) for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, issued a felony complaint alleging one (1) count of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First Degree, which carries a penalty of up to Life in prison, and six (6) counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct in the Third Degree, which carries a penalty of 15 years in prison.
The criminal complaint alleges that the improper sexual conduct - which included intercourse - began when the victim was 12 years-old and continued until she was 18 years-old and moved out of her mother's home and away from Clark.
Clark is the former foster father of the victim's adoptive mother. The criminal complaint alleges that Clark used force and coercion to commit the sexual assaults on the victim.
For many years, Clark, as well as the victim's mother, have been involved in providing foster care in their homes for many children in the Bellaire area.
Due to the nature of the allegations and Clark's status as a foster care provider, the prosecutor's office and the Antrim County Sheriff Department are requesting that people who may have any information about the allegations or similar behavior by Clark, please provide the information in a confidential manner by contacting Det. Ed Smith at the Antrim County Sheriff Department at 231-533-6827, extension 3524, or Erin House or Charles Koop at the Prosecuting Attorney's office at 231-533-6860.
SAAG Ms. House is part of a special task force combating domestic violence and criminal sexual conduct assaults in nine northern Michigan counties.
Ms. House is assigned to Antrim, Leelanau and Benzie counties. The task force is in partnership with the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board, Attorney General Bill Schuette, and local prosecutors. The special task force was created in January, 2004 to address domestic violence prosecution and was expanded in October, 2009 to include prosecution of criminal sexual assault crimes.
The program funding ends September 30, 2010. Antrim and Leelanau County Prosecuting Attorneys, Charles Koop and Joseph Hubbell, with assistance from the local Women Resource Center, have recently applied for a grant to continue the program after funding through the Michigan Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Board ends in September of 2011.
