Joshua Lee, a 22-year-old former corrections officer from Wyandotte, will spend the next 18 months to 15 years in prison. Judge Arianne E. Slay handed down the sentence on June 18 in Washtenaw County’s 22nd Circuit Court following Lee’s guilty plea to one count of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct (State Prisoner).
The sentencing follows an investigation revealing that Lee engaged in multiple sexual acts with several prisoners while working at the Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility.
The Michigan State Police initially investigated the matter and referred it to the Department of Attorney General. Lee was later charged in November 2025 with four counts of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct before reaching the plea agreement.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel emphasized the importance of holding state employees accountable.
“No one is above the law, and everyone deserves safety from sexual abuse,” Nessel said. “My office is committed to prosecuting those who weaponize their authority to exploit the very people they are assigned to monitor and protect. Through the combined efforts of the Michigan Department of Corrections, the Michigan State Police, and prosecutors in my department, we have ensured that Mr. Lee will not only be held accountable but can no longer abuse his position.”
The legal proceedings also highlighted a distinct gap in current state legislation. While Michigan law criminalizes sexual contact by corrections officers, it does not contain a specific statute addressing sexual penetration committed by prison staff.
Because of this current legal framework, prosecutors are required to charge both sexual contact and sexual penetration offenses the exact same way under Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct.
Following the conviction, Nessel stated that she hopes the Michigan Legislature will update the state’s laws. She is calling for revisions to First and Third-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct statutes so they explicitly cover sexual penetration by corrections staff, which she noted would better protect inmates and properly reflect the seriousness of these crimes.
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