Independence Township man charged in sex assault, suspected in others, officials say

Mark Hicks, The Detroit News
·1 min read

Mar. 20—An Independence Township man has been charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault, and authorities are investigating his ties to other incidents in the last four years, Oakland County Sheriff's officials announced Friday.

Ian Wilson, 20, was arraigned Wednesday at 51st District Court in Waterford Township on a third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge. He remained in the Oakland County Jail on a $400,000 bond, records showed.

The charge stemmed from allegedly sexually assaulting a woman during a New Year's Eve gathering, the Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Oakland County prosecutors issued a warrant for his arrest on Feb. 9. The next day, Las Vegas police planned to arrest him when he was to appear for work at Nellis Air Force Base, according to the release.

"When Wilson did not appear, a federal desertion warrant was issued, and he was arrested Feb. 11 attempting to enter Canada from Washington state," investigators said Friday.

Wilson, who has been in the Air Force since 2018, was extradited to Michigan this week. Military officials also plan to seek desertion charges.

His next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday before 51st District Judge Richard D. Kuhn Jr.

Meanwhile, detectives are investigating Wilson's possible connection to five other alleged sexual assaults in Independence Township and Waterford township dating back to 2017.

Detectives said the female victims ranged in age from 14 to 20.

"The Sheriff's Office detectives are actively working other allegations involving Wilson and anticipates there may be other victims," officials said Friday.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Office dispatch at (248) 858-4951.

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