A Mt. Pleasant man charged federally with abusing four children for years has pleaded to a felony.
Jason A. Dunnigan, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree child abuse on Thursday during a court appearance before U.S. District Judge Patricia T. Morris at the federal courthouse in Bay City, as reported by The Bay City Times/MLive on Saturday. The charge is punishable by up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
In exchange, Assistant U.S. Attorney Roy Kranz agreed to dismiss three more counts of the same charge, as well as four counts of domestic violence.
A shackled Dunnigan admitted to his crime by answering yes-or-no questions posed to him by defense attorney Joan Morgan.
Dunningan said that between March 2014 and December 2016, he was living with a woman and some children in Mt. Pleasant. On at least one occasion, Dunningan hit one child with his hands, an assault he agreed was “beyond reasonable discipline.”
Dunnigan’s sentencing guidelines range from one year to 18 months.
It was unclear which of the four children Dunnigan was initially charged with abusing his conviction relates to. Kranz previously said the kids were as young as 5.
Dunnigan’s sentencing date is pending.