Washtenaw County prosecutors review case against sex offender Matthew Freeman

1-4-2010 Michigan:

Washtenaw County prosecutors are reviewing the case against a man accused of living near a school after being convicted of having sex with a high school girlfriend one year below the legal age of consent.

Matthew Freeman, 23, of Pittsfield Township, who is required to register as a sex offender, is charged with a school safety zone residency violation.

County Assistant Prosecutor John Reiser said during a court hearing for Freeman this morning that prosecutors are reviewing the case after speaking with Freeman's attorney, David Goldstein.

The case was adjourned until Jan. 25. Reiser told 14A District Court Judge J. Cedric Simpson that if prosecutors decide to drop the case, they'd ask that Freeman's presence at the next court hearing be waived.

Reached by phone this morning, County Chief Deputy Assistant Prosecutor Steve Hiller declined to discuss specifics of the case because it's pending.

"We agreed to adjourn the case to have a chance to do whatever legal research is needed," Hiller said.

Goldstein said during an interview last week that he asked prosecutors to review whether the charge is appropriate.

"In this particular case, my position is there is no violation here," Goldstein said. "I presented that to the prosecutor's office, and they're looking into it."

Goldstein declined to be more specific.

Freeman is accused of illegally living within 1,000 feet of Carpenter Elementary School. If convicted of the misdemeanor charge, he faces up to a year in jail.

Freeman has registered at the address of a family friend while the case is pending.

Freeman was playing basketball in his driveway Aug. 3 when a state trooper pulled up and determined Freeman was living 326 feet from the school, a police report said. Freeman had registered with Pittsfield Township police using his family's Dalton Avenue address 27 days earlier.

Freeman was sentenced to probation in 2003 after being convicted of having sex with his 15-year-old girlfriend when he was 17. He pleaded guilty to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct with force or coercion. In Michigan, the legal age of consent is 16.

As a result of Freeman’s conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender for 25 years.

The girl's mother, Evelyn Scott, who pressed charges against Freeman in the 2003 case, recently wrote a letter on his behalf and said she wants him removed from the registry. ..Source..