(WWJ) — A Michigan man who was recently extradited from Florida after years on the run has been ordered to stand trial on charges of sexually assaulting a minor.
Alex New, a 54-year-old resident of Branch County — near the Michigan-Ohio border — is charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct.
The Branch County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged New in 2016, but allegedly fled the state, according to the Attorney General Dana Nessel’s Office, who made the announcement of New’s trial on Thursday.
He was found in Florida earlier this year and returned to Branch County in June, through Operation Survivor Justice, a partnership announced earlier this year between Nessel’s office, local county prosecutors and the U.S. Marshals Service to locate, apprehend, and return Michigan fugitive offenders with outstanding sexual assault warrants.
"Operation Survivor Justice is about ensuring that those who try to evade criminal accountability are brought to justice, no matter how long it takes or where they try to hide,” Nessel said, per a press release. “Mr. New, who was once a fugitive, will now stand trial thanks to this vital partnership.”
Nessel’s office did not release any details about the alleged sexual assault, including the victim’s age or when and where it happened.
New will appear in the 15th Circuit Court in front of Judge Patrick William O'Grady on Sept. 23.
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