Sexual predator sent to prison for life

Aug. 13—TRAVERSE CITY — Guy Louis Shelton, 53, of Grawn, was sentenced Friday to life without parole in addition to two consecutive six- to 22-year terms in prison in 13th Circuit Court.

Shelton was sentenced via a livestream connection with the court since he's already in prison serving 25 years for another conviction of criminal sexual conduct with a minor, according to officials from the Grand Traverse County Sheriff's Office.

At the beginning of the court proceeding, Shelton waived his right to an in-person court appearance.

In his most recent case, Shelton was tried before a jury and found guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor, along with two additional counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, police reports said. According to CSC laws in Michigan, first-degree involves penetration while second-degree involves contact.

Testimony indicated that Shelton repeatedly forced the child under water during the sexual acts. The victim was 5 when the abuse began.

In 2017, a report stated that his related misconduct dates back to 2003, when he was found guilty of inappropriately and repeatedly touching two young girls.

To date, Shelton has professed and maintained his innocence. During the sentencing, he cited a Bible verse — John 7:24 — which refers to judging people by their appearance.

The victim's mother read a statement on behalf of her child, and said Shelton's chronic sexual abuse has caused years of severe anxiety and depression.

"He is, in every sense of the word, a predator," Kyle Attwood from the Grand Traverse County Prosecutor's Office told the court.

Because of Shelton's prior convictions of sexual abuse with minors, the mandatory sentence was life without parole for the first-degree CSC conviction, Judge Thomas C. Power said.

"I can think of no more of a fitting punishment for Mr. Shelton," Attwood said.