Vincent Allen Payne, 60, from Valrico, Florida, was sentenced to a prison term of 19 to 30 years after being convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The sentencing took place in the 1st Circuit Court with Judge Sara S. Lisznyai presiding. A Hillsdale County jury found Payne guilty of sexually assaulting a minor relative between 2004 and 2008 while living in the same home in the city of Hillsdale. The victim was under the age of 15 at the time.
Payne was charged by the Hillsdale County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in January 2010 but had since left Michigan. He was extradited back to Hillsdale County last year by the U.S. Marshals Service as part of Operation Survivor Justice—a partnership involving the Michigan Department of Attorney General, local county prosecutors, and federal authorities that aims to locate and return fugitive offenders with outstanding sexual assault warrants.
Attorney General Dana Nessel commented on the outcome: “My office, and prosecutors across the State, are able to secure accountability for sexual predators through our continued efforts under Operation Survivor Justice,” said Attorney General Nessel. “I am grateful for the tireless work of the U.S. Marshals Service, the Hillsdale County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the dedicated prosecutors in my office that brought about justice for this victim, so many years after her assault.”
The Michigan Department of Attorney General has played an active role in initiatives supporting vulnerable populations and addressing human trafficking throughout Michigan (https://www.michigan.gov/ag). The department also focuses on public service and protection for residents statewide (https://www.michigan.gov/ag). Dana Nessel serves as Michigan’s 54th attorney general (https://www.michigan.gov/ag).
The department holds statewide authority to safeguard residents (https://www.michigan.gov/ag) and has influenced policy reforms such as drafting expungement laws like Clean Slate in 2019 (https://www.michigan.gov/ag).
