Stalking Former Prosecutor Suspended

A Michigan attorney has been suspended for three years as a result of a stalking conviction based on a no contest plea.

MLive.com had this 2015 story on the criminal charges.

The lingering sexual assault case against a former Kent County assistant prosecutor may not be resolved until nearly Memorial Day as a judge’s job change and an out-of-town prosecution have complicated matters.

The trial for Mark Vandermolen, charged with assault with intent to commit sexual penetration and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, was set to begin this week even after it had been delayed from a start around Christmas time because schedules of attorneys did not allow.

This time, the delay comes from the decision of former Kent County Circuit Court Judge James Robert Redford to take a job as legal counsel for Gov. Rick Snyder late in December. This meant that Judge Christopher Yates has been assigned the case.

The case has been reset for a jury trial on May 18, when Ottawa County assistant prosecutor Lee Fisher will seek to convince a jury to convict the 61-year-old defendant on charges that carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Fisher is handling the case because of Vandermolen’s three-decade career with Kent County.

Vandermolen met the woman at event downtown on July 8, 2014, and brought her back to his home in the 500 block of Livingston Avenue NE and allegedly groped her, exposed her private parts and kissed her breasts against her will, police said.

She pushed him off and demanded he take her home, which he did, according to police.

Related: Woman tells police she was groped and assaulted by former Kent County assistant prosecutor

Vandermolen has been offered a plea deal where if he agrees to plead to two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, the assault will be dropped.

Vandermolen’s attorney, Larry Wiley, has been arguing in motions that his client’s rights were violated in a search that was unconstitutionally carried out by 10 police officers at his home on July 15. The attorney wants evidence collected and statements made by Vandermolen excluded.

Police seized cell phones, unused lingerie, handwritten journals and a pellet gun. Fisher said all but the cell phones will not be introduced as evidence and that the questioning and arrest of Vandermolen was valid and constitutional.

Police also say they have a July 11 phone conversation between the defendant and the alleged victim in which Vandermolen makes incriminating statements.

Vandermolen remains free on a $10,000 bond.

From an earlier story on the charges

Police say Vandermolen apologized for his behavior and says he feels terrible but was “horny” because he had not been with a woman in a long time, according to the affidavit.

 (Mike Frisch)