Sheriff: Member of U.S. Air Force facing sex assault charge, could be tied to multiple cases
A member of the United States Air Force from Independence Township is facing a third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge for allegedly assaulting a woman at a New Year’s Eve gathering, and may be connected to several other alleged sexual assaults in Oakland County in recent years.
Ian Mitchell Wilson, 20, was arraigned March 17 in 51st District Court, where Magistrate Russell Anderson set bond at $400,000. He’s held in the Oakland
County Jail.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, detectives from the Independence Township substation and the Waterford Police Department are investigating Wilson’s possible connection to five other alleged sexual assaults in Independence Township and Waterford Township dating back to 2017.
The victims ranged in age from 14 to 20 at the time of the alleged assaults, the sheriff’s office said.
As previously reported by MediaNews Group, the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office issued a warrant for Wilson’s arrest on Feb. 9, and Las Vegas, Nevada police planned to arrest him the next day when he reported for his shift at Nellis Air Force Base. However, he didn’t show up for work, so a federal desertion warrant was issued.
Wilson was arrested Feb. 11 as he attempted to cross the border into Canada from Washington state. He was extradited to Michigan on March 16, the sheriff’s office said.
Military officials plan to seek desertion charges against Wilson, the sheriff’s office said.
He’s been a member of the U.S. Air Force since 2018. The sheriff’s office said detectives are actively investigating other allegations involving Wilson and anticipate there may be more victims.
Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office dispatch at 248-858-4951.
Wilson’s next scheduled court date is April 26 before 51st District Judge Richard Kuhn, for a probable cause conference.