Suspect Arraigned in Sexual Assault Case

A 22-year-old man was arraigned in Saginaw County Thursday, April 11 for an alleged sexual assault Saturday, April 6 near Saginaw Valley State University.

Police say Mikkal Essex of Saginaw is one of four men involved in the assault of two teen females, ages 17 and 18, at the Campus Village Apartments off Davis Rd. in Kochville Township. A third 16-year-old girl at the apartment says she was not assaulted. Neither the alleged victims or the men live in the building. Only one of the girls is an SVSU student. Police are still attempting to locate the other three men for questioning and are hoping witnesses come forward.

Essex is charged with two counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct, seven counts of resisting or assaulting a police officer and a single count of assault with intent to do great bodily harm. He’s being held in the Saginaw County Jail and has been denied bond.

During the course of the investigation on Saturday, sheriff’s deputies say they were approached by a man and a woman in a blue pickup truck. The woman claimed someone dressed like a security guard tried to force her into the woods off Davis Rd. but she was able to escape. Her boyfriend picked her up a short time later. The couple has not been identified and they have not filed a police report. It isn’t known if the incident is related to the alleged sexual assault. The sheriff’s department is asking the couple to come forward in order to investigate the claim.