GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP
A Kent County probation officer accused of inappropriately touching a woman in his office appeared before a judge Wednesday, in the same 63rd District Court building where he has worked for the past three years.
Daniel Neland Hendrickson, 35, is charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a prisoner or probationer, court records show. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.
Hendrickson remains free on a $25,000 bond. His preliminary hearing is slated for Aug. 13.
Authorities say he inappropriately touched a 24-year-old woman in his office in the court building, at 644 Kenmoor Ave. SE. The victim had to appear before Hendrickson monthly because of a drunken-driving offense.
The complaint alleges Hendrickson acted inappropriately between Feb. 1 and April 30.
Kent County Prosecutor William Forsyth declined to go into detail about the allegation, but said the alleged victim did not immediately report the incident to police.
"She told somebody, who told somebody, who told somebody here, which started the investigation," Forsyth said.
That investigation led to Hendrickson losing his job last week, and to Wednesday's arraignment.
He appeared before Allegan District Court Judge Joseph Skocelas, who stepped in for 63rd District Judge Sara Smolenski.
Before working in that court, Hendrickson worked in the Kent County Prosecutor's Family Law Division and in 61st District Court in Grand Rapids.
Calls to Hendrickson's home and to his lawyer, Daniel Elwe, went unanswered.
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