A Livingston County man convicted of sexual misconduct with a teenage girl has had his appeal denied in the case.

33-year-old Jeremy Alan Slayden of Fowlerville was sentenced to 10 months in the Livingston County Jail in 2016 after a jury convicted him of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and furnishing of alcohol to a minor. He was also ordered to spend five years on probation.

Slayden’s conviction arose from the sexual assault of his daughter’s 13-year-old friend in February of 2016. The victim testified Slayden had purchased alcohol for her and his daughter and served it to them at his home. She testified that after falling asleep on the couch, she awoke to Slayden putting his hands underneath her bra. She then got up, went into a bedroom and texted her boyfriend. He told his mother, who called State Police.

When a trooper arrived at the home the next morning, the victim said Slayden asked her to lie or he would end up going to jail. She initially denied the incident when asked by the trooper, but then later broke down and told her mother it was true. Slayden denied the incident occurred and said any alcohol being consumed by his daughter and her friend was without his knowledge.

In his appeal he claimed he had ineffective counsel at trial and was the victim of prosecutorial misconduct. The Appeals court denied both of those claims and affirmed Slayden’s conviction and sentence. (JK)