Hope Township Man Cleared of CSC Charges in Trial

A Hope Township man was found not guilty of multiple criminal sexual conduct charges after a three day trial.

38-year-old Ryan Thornton was accused of assaulting a girl between 6 and 7 years old. He was arrested in August 2022 and charged with two counts of first-degree and three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. Thornton’s trial began August 15, and on August 18, a jury found him not guilty on all charges.

The prosecution in the case says they were disappointed in the jury’s decision but understood the jury did not find the evidence compelling enough for a guilty verdict.