(HILLSDALE) - A former Hillsdale County resident has been convicted of sexually assaulting a young relative over a four-year period.
A Hillsdale County Circuit Court jury on Thursday found 60-year-old Vincent Payne of Valrico, Florida, guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
According to the Michigan Attorney General's office, Payne committed the assaults while living in the same home as the victim, who was under the age of 15 at the time. The crimes occurred between 2004 and 2008.
Payne was initially charged in January 2010 but remained out of state for years. He was extradited back to Hillsdale County in 2025 by the U.S. Marshals Service as part of Operation Survivor Justice, a joint effort involving the Michigan Department of Attorney General, local prosecutors, and federal authorities.
Payne faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced March 2.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel credited Hillsdale County Prosecuting Attorney Jamie Wisniewski and her staff for their work in securing the conviction.