HILLSDALE — A Hillsdale man charged with accosting a child for an immoral purpose and using a computer to commit a crime was charged Friday, May 17, with accosting a child for an immoral purpose. pled guilty.
Mark Russell Shemwell, 45, entered into a plea deal on May 17 in which charges of using a computer to commit a crime will be dismissed. He is tentatively scheduled to be sentenced June 24 at 8:30 a.m. in First Judicial Circuit Court. He could face up to four years in prison.
Shemwell, a former co-owner of Shemwell Martial Arts Academy, spoke in front of his Jonesville store on January 23rd, 2019, when the Indiana-based outbound network “Exposing Predators of Innocent Children'' He was arrested after encountering members of the group “EPIC''. – Become a child predator on live social media. The Facebook Live post quickly went viral.
In a Facebook video, Shemwell first admitted to sexting a “15-year-old girl” and arranging to meet and have sex with her. It turned out that the victim was an adult male and EPIC Group was working as a decoy.
Jonesville police responded to Shemwell's gym, EPIC Group turned over transcripts of text messages proving Shemwell's guilt, and Shemwell was taken into custody.
The Hillsdale County Prosecutor's Office issued a statement following Shemwell's plea hearing on May 17, asking the public not to become personally involved in efforts to catch alleged internet predators. Ta.
In 2019, the Michigan Attorney General's Office said it would be “reckless and dangerous for residents to take matters into their own hands” and would not pursue cases started by vigilante groups suspected of stealing children online. issued a statement stating that.
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Because these types of sting operations require the use of protocols, individual efforts can impede the ability to protect the community.
Shemwell's request for a bail reduction was denied on May 17th. Shemwell remains in custody at Hillsdale County Jail on $15,000 cash bail.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray cmurray@hillsdale.net Or follow him on X (formerly Twitter: @cmurrayHDN).
This article originally appeared in Hillsdale Daily News: Martial arts instructor charged with sexting minor admits act
