Alleged to have sexually abused at least two children between 2005 and 2018, a Saginaw man is imprisoned in the Midland County Jail on a $1 million cash bond.
Arranged before Midland County District Court Magistrate Gerald Ladwig on Wednesday, 53-year-old Scott Haught was wheelchair-bound via Zoom. He is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13; first-degree CSC relationship; four charges of second-degree CSC with a person under 13; and four counts of second-degree CSC relationship.
Ladwig stated, evaluating connection, “What was hidden before has come to light.”
Ladwig claimed in court that his bond ruling was based on the seriousness of the offenses, the frequency of occurrence, and the allegations of what happened.
Leland Burton, Haught’s court-assigned counsel for the arraignment, submitted a not-guilty plea on his behalf. Burton said that six years ago was the last allegation of improprieties. Burton also sought for his customer a “modest bond.”
“He doesn’t seem like someone who is going to grab a passport and leave the nation,” Burton added.
Apparently, Haught has engaged a counsel to speak for him in next meetings. On Aug. 6 he is scheduled for a probable cause hearing at 1 p.m.; on Aug. 20 he is scheduled for a preliminary exam at 2:30 p.m.
Investigating a 2023 report, Michigan State Police apprehended Haught on Tuesday night.
Midland County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Atea Duso, who defends the persons in the case, claimed that there is no statute of limitations for first-degree CSC. She added the law pertaining to second-degree CSC before to 2018 was ten years from the date of the crime or until the victim’s 21st birthday, whichever was later.
However, the legislation for second-degree CSC was revised in 2018 to show that, should the victim be a minor, the statute of limitations is 15 years from the date of the crime or until their 28th birthday, whichever comes later. This revised law covers the claimed victims of Haught. Duso said none of the victims had turned 28.