Sheriff: California man skips out on sex assault trial, meets Michigan girl online
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TUSCOLA COUNTY, MI (WJRT) — Police in Tuscola County arrested a California man convicted of several sexual assault charges who allegedly skipped part of his trial there to see a Michigan girl he met online.
A jury in Sacremento, Calif., found Michael Khatoonian guilty of the following charges and he was awaiting sentencing when he left the state:
— Two counts of sexually assaulting a child younger than 10 years old.
— Two counts of forcible sexual abuse.
— One count of lewd and lascivious touching of a child younger than 14 years old.
Khatoonian sexually assaulted the girl while her mother was in a bathroom and again while her mother was sitting on the other side of the couch from them, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
He faces up to 85 years in a California prison when he is sentenced.
However, Tuscola County Sheriff Glen Skrent said Khatoonian broke bond conditions and left California during the trial to see a girl in Michigan who he met online.
Police in Tuscola County arrested Khatoonian on Wednesday. It was not clear whether he will face additional charges in Michigan.
Authorities are working on extraditing Khatoonian back to California for sentencing.
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