For Immediate Release Corrected Copy January 26, 2017

Dana Nessel
President, Fair Michigan Foundation, Inc.
DanaNessel@fairmichigan.org
877-4FAIR-MI
Maria Miller
Wayne County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
Director of Communications
mmiller@waynecounty.com
(313) 224-5817

Port Huron Man Charged With Kidnapping, Multiple Rapes and

Unlawful Imprisonment
DETROIT January 25, 2017 Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, with the
assistance of the Fair Michigan Justice Project (FMJP), charged Anthony Thornton, 46
(DOB: 7/15/70), of Port Huron, with kidnapping, multiple counts of criminal sexual
conduct and unlawful imprisonment.
It is alleged that, on April 20, 2010, Thornton met his first victim, a lesbian, at the
Coalition on Temporary Shelter (COTS) homeless shelter in Detroit. The victim
accompanied Thornton and two other men to an abandoned house to drink and
smoke. When victim attempted to leave, Thornton and the other men held her down and
took turns raping her.
It is also alleged that, on March 8, 2011, Thorntons second victim was invited to a home
in Detroit by a friend. When the victim arrived, the friend was not there but Thornton
was. Thornton overpowered the victim and raped her. Thornton only stopped his attack
when he heard someone at the door. The victim was able to escape through a back
window and immediately reported the crime.
For these two cases, Thornton has been charged with three counts of first-degree criminal
sexual conduct, three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of
kidnapping, and two counts of unlawful imprisonment. First-degree criminal sexual
conduct and kidnapping are felonies punishable by up to life in prison. Second-degree
criminal sexual conduct and unlawful imprisonment are felonies punishable by up to 15
years in prison.
The cases were assigned to Special Prosecutor Jaimie Powell Horowitz of the FMJP,
which is collaboration between the Prosecutors Office and Fair Michigan Foundation,
Inc. FMJP is a program that assists Michigan law enforcement officers and prosecutors
in solving serious crimes against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons.

Fair Michigan President Dana Nessel said, These cases illustrate the tragedy of
Michigans failure to quickly process thousands of rape kits in Detroit and the importance
of Prosecutor Worthys longtime crusade to bring the perpetrators of sex crimes to
justice. An accused serial rapist evaded justice for years, and the victims demands for
justice were unaddressed. The Fair Michigan Justice Project, in association with the
Prosecutors Office and the Detroit Police, is proud to take up these cold cases and finally
deliver justice to the women and LGBT individuals who were victimized.
Thornton was arraigned on January 24, 2017, and was given a $100,000 cash bond. The
probable cause conference will be held on January 31, 2017. The preliminary
examination is scheduled for February 7, 2017, in front of Judge Shannon A. Holmes of
the 36th District Court.
#####
*The charges are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.