(Lansing, MI) - An undercover sting operation resulted in the arrest of a Baraga man for seeking out an officer posing as an underage girl online for sex. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the arrest of 26-year old William Michael Brunk last week. He was arraigned Wednesday at the 97th District Court on one count of child sexually abusive activity, a 20-year felony… one count of using a computer to commit a crime, a 20-year felony… one count of accosting a child for immoral purposes, a four-year felony… and one count of using a computer to commit a crime, a seven-year felony.
In June 2022, a Houghton County Sheriff’s deputy posted a video on a fake Snapchat account depicting the exterior of the Waterstone Suites in L’Anse Township located in Baraga County with a suggestive message. Brunk allegedly sent a private message to the account holder who he believed to be a 15-year-old girl and agreed to meet at the posted location to engage in sexual intercourse. Brunk traveled to the hotel a day later and arrived at the room provided by the undercover officer posing as the underage girl where he was immediately arrested by law enforcement.
Bond was set at $25,000 cash/surety with the conditions that Brunk have no contact with unaccompanied minors, no use of computers including the Internet or social media except for employment purposes. He is also not allowed to have weapons, consume alcohol or controlled substances without a prescription.
A probable cause conference is scheduled for December 6 at 9 AM and a preliminary exam is set for December 13 at 10am.
