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 been sentenced to a minimum of eight years after pleading no contest to the charges.
66-year-old Dennis M. Bales of Port Huron entered his no contest plea almost two months ago in Huron County’s 52nd Circuit Court, receiving his sentence on Monday, November 21. With three charges to consider, Judge Gerald M. Prill handed down seven years, 11 months to 20 years for a charge of child sexually abusive activity; seven years, 11 months to 20 years for using a computer to commit a crime; and 23 months to four years for accosting a child for immoral purposes, to be served concurrently.
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 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.
