One of two men arrested by officers with the Tri-County Sheriff Alliance as part of their August investigation “target[ing] those who seek sex with underage children” has plead no contest to the charges.
66-year-old Dennis M. Bales of Port Huron entered his no contest plea on Monday, September 26, while in Huron County’s 52nd Circuit Court. The plea submitted to prosecutors address all three felony charges received in August: child sexually abusive activity, using a computer to commit a crime, and accosting a child for immoral purposes.
Bales and another man, 70-year-old Dale Ignash of Filion, were caught during the third human trafficking sting conducted by the Tri-County Sheriff Alliance between Tuscola, Sanilac and Huron county sheriff offices, with a 68-year-old Lexington man being released with possible charges pending related to Port Huron’s Dennis Bales.
Officers operated out of an undisclosed location in Caseville Township, with the two men engaging with officers under the belief that they were talking to underage males seeking sex online. With younger officers serving as decoys and both suspects confirming they were at the sting house to have sex with an underage male, the arrests were made on Wednesday, August 17, with evidence like cell phones, cash, vehicles and more being seized and subjected to forfeiture.
Bales’ bond had been $50,000 at first, but likely due to past sex related convictions and him being on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry, his bond was increased four-fold, to a $200,000 cash bond.
Bales faces up to 44 years in prison and a fine up to $204,000 for the three charges, though he will have to wait until Monday, November 21 to be sentenced by Judge Gerald Prill.
