NEWS RELEASE
ATTORNEY GENERAL DANA NESSEL
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LANSING – Today, Judge James Jamo in the 30th Circuit Court in Ingham County sentenced Marshawn James Curtis, 30, of Lansing, to 17.5-80 years for a rape committed in 2012, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane. Curtis was found guilty of one count of first-degree criminal sexual Conduct by an Ingham County jury on Dec. 1 following a cold-case investigation and prosecution by the Ingham/Jackson Regional Sexual Assault Team.
"The work of our state’s SAKI units is gravely important, and today's sentence reflects that,” Attorney General Nessel said. “I’m proud of the work done by the Ingham County SAKI team and my office to secure this conviction and remain committed to securing justice for survivors who long thought they would never see their abuser held accountable.”
The investigation into Curtis, brought as part of the state’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), began with a single victim of a 2012 rape. This investigation led to the discovery of four other Michigan women who allege instances of being followed by Curtis between 2018 and 2019. In each instance, Curtis allegedly exposed himself and/or masturbated before them. Curtis is also alleged to have raped another woman in Georgia in 2020.
“This case is one more example of why Michigan’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative is so important for local prosecutor’s offices to be able to prosecute cold case sexual assaults,” said Prosecutor Dewane. “Sexual assaults often involve serial offenders and can be difficult to investigate. With specialized training and experience, our SAKI team was able to gather evidence and achieve justice for these survivors. I commend the hard work and dedication of our SAKI team and believe that this just sentence will prevent future assaults.”
The State’s SAKI was established to investigate and prosecute sexual assaults related to previously untested sexual assault evidence kits. The SAKI project provides sexual assault victims with the opportunity to have their case re-investigated in a comprehensive, trauma-informed manner. With the assistance of Lansing Police Department – Capital Area Response Effort (C.A.R.E.) program services, and Advocates from the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office and the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, the Ingham County team was in contact with the sexual assault survivors during this investigation and court process.
In fiscal year 2023, the legislature again appropriated money to the Attorney General’s office to provide funding to SAKI projects in Kalamazoo, Ingham, Jackson, Washtenaw, and Wayne counties. The SAKI Project also receives funding through the Department of State Police federal SAKI grant award.
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