FLINT – Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said a jury has found a Clio man guilty on multiple sexual assault charges involving minors.
According to testimony at trial, 37-year-old Christopher David Vanover is alleged to have assaulted up to five individuals, three of whom were under age 13, at various times over nearly a decade beginning in August 2002.
The jury convicted Vanover of a total of six felonies including the most serious count of criminal sexual conduct first degree involving a victim under age 13. In addition to that count, he was convicted of two counts of criminal sexual conduct second degree involving a person under 13 where defendant was 17 or older; solicitation of criminal sexual conduct second degree with a victim under age 13 and defendant 17 or older; criminal sexual conduct third degree with a child who was at least 13 but under the age of 16; and accosting a child under the age of 16 for immoral purposes.
The case was originally charged in 2011 but dismissed due to burden of proof issues but later reopened and charged in 2021 when new evidence was brought forth.
“There is an old adage in criminal law that the wheels of justice sometime turn slowly and that may apply to this case,” said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton after the verdict was read.
“But we kept the wheels turning and we kept moving forward in our pursuit of justice for the victims
in this case,” Leyton added. “I want to commend my staff including Assistant Prosecutors Stephanie Cannon and Ezekiel Zanetta, who tried the case in Circuit Court, Chris Larobardiere who shepherded it through District Court, my crime victims unit and a great clerical staff along with the resolute work of the Richfield
Township Police Department for getting this case to trial and achieving justice.
Vanover faces up to life in prison or any term of years when he is sentenced on August 28 and
a mandatory lifetime electronic monitoring and registration on the Michigan sex offender registry.
