Great Lakes Wire

A Saginaw, Michigan man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for multiple offenses including unlawful imprisonment, strangulation, suffocation, interstate domestic violence, and witness tampering. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., with Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Detroit Division also involved in the announcement.

Michael Lee Johnson, aged 45, received his sentence from United States District Judge Linda Parker in Detroit. Johnson had been convicted by a jury on November 1, 2024.

Evidence presented during the trial showed that Johnson attacked his girlfriend after she ended their relationship. Despite being ordered by his parole agent to leave the residence, Johnson stayed and sent a Facebook message indicating malicious intent just before she arrived home. Upon her arrival, he assaulted her by throwing her into a wall and proceeded to strangle and suffocate her. The assault continued later in front of her children.

Additionally, Johnson unlawfully detained the victim in a bedroom prior to these assaults and engaged in witness tampering to cover up his actions. These events took place on the Isabella Reservation in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.

The investigation was conducted by the Saginaw Chippewa Police Department alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Roy Kranz and former Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Turkelson prosecuted the case.