Longtime child rapist admits to other charges

Michael Clune still faces separate charges in Clare County

A man facing separate child rape charges in Clare County — and who has been raping young boys since at least 2004 — pleaded guilty to child sex crime charges Thursday in Shiawassee County Circuit Court, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced.

In the still pending Clare case, Michael Clune, 50, a registered sex offender after being convicted of raping a child in 2004, was accused of doing it again in 2020.

Clune is accused of having met a 13-year-old boy on the dating app Grindr, grooming him and then meeting him at the Doherty Hotel in Clare on Feb. 3 last year.

On Thursday, in the state case, Clune pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a child under age 13, and one count of aggravated child sexually abusive activity.

He will be sentenced as a habitual second offender. He entered the plea before 35th Circuit Court Judge Matthew Stewart.

Clune used the internet to communicate with a 12-year-old boy and coerced the boy into meeting him. After picking the boy up from his home, Clune took him to a hotel and engaged in sexual activity with the minor in Shiawassee County. The Attorney General’s office announced several charges against Clune in October.

Clune was arrested for similar activity in Clare County. After the Michigan State Police forensically analyzed his computer devices, they became aware of other

victims. Detectives determined a child sexually abusive video on Clune’s phone was created in Shiawassee County. After further investigation, a victim was identified and Clune was charged.

“My office stands ready to aggressively enforce the laws that protect our children from harm, and anyone who violates those rules will see justice served,” Nessel said. “I appreciate the efforts of Clare County Prosecutor Michelle Ambrozaitis, the Clare Police Department, Michigan State Police and the prosecutors in my office for all their work on this case.”

Additional charges against Clune remain in Clare County for third-degree criminal sexual conduct, sodomy, accosting a minor for immoral purpose and using a computer to commit a crime. Clune has similar charges in Roscommon County including four counts of aggravated child sexually abusive activity and four counts of using a computer to commit a crime. Clune was previously convicted of two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct in Wayne County in 2004.

Clune will spend a minimum of 25 years in prison for the charges in Shiawassee County.