Great Lakes Wire

The Michigan Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction and sentence of Justin Harvala, 36, formerly of Kingsford. The announcement was made by Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Harvala was sentenced in 2023 to a prison term ranging from 142 months to 35 years after being found guilty of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct for the sexual assault of a 7-year-old girl.

Attorney General Nessel stated, “I am relieved that the Court upheld Mr. Harvala’s sentence, but if the House budget passes as currently written, my office will not have the resources and attorneys needed to prosecute these horrific crimes or defend convictions on appeal. That means predators would not face accountability, survivors would be denied justice, and the safety of Michigan families would be put at serious risk. We cannot allow politics to stand in the way of holding criminals accountable and protecting our communities.”

In its decision, the Court of Appeals dismissed Harvala’s claims that there was insufficient evidence for his conviction and that his sentence was unreasonable or disproportionate.