Final suspects in child sex sting arraigned

Public Radio 90, WNMU | By Nicole Walton

Published August 30, 2023 at 9:32 AM EDT

MARQUETTE, MI— The last three of seven suspects caught in a Forsyth Township child sex sting have been arraigned.

Ryan Howard, 26, of Negaunee and Thomas Soetaert, 62, of Skandia were arraigned last Thursday, while Calvin Veldt, 68, of Sault Ste. Marie was arraigned Monday in Marquette County District Court.

They all face charges of child sexually abusive activity, accosting a child for immoral purposes, and two felony levels of using a computer to commit a crime.

Probable cause conferences are scheduled for Thursday for Howard and Soetaert. Veldt’s is set for September 7^th. Preliminary exams are scheduled for September 6^th for Howard, September 7^th for Soetaert, and September 14^th for Veldt.

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Nicole Walton

Nicole was born near Detroit but has lived in the U.P. most of her life. She graduated from Marquette Senior High School and attended Michigan State and Northern Michigan Universities, graduating from NMU in 1993 with a degree in English.

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