Coldwater man sentenced in second Sexual Assault Kit Initiative case against him

A Coldwater man already serving a decade in prison related to a Kalamazoo County sexual assault received a second sentence of more than three decades in prison in Jackson County, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Jackson County Prosecutor Jerry Jarzynka announced Thursday. 

Last month, a jury found Brad Allen Risner, 29, guilty of first-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC) after spending 10 minutes deliberating. 

Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Edward Grant sentenced Risner to between 35 and 70 years in prison this morning, which will be served concurrently to his Kalamazoo County sentence.

The charge stemmed from a February 2010 assault and was brought as part of the state’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). Risner was first charged by the Kalamazoo County SAKI team and was sentenced last month in that case.

During the course of the Kalamazoo County investigation, ten other women were identified as being sexually and/or physically assaulted by Risner between 2005 and 2018. Those investigations led to this case in Jackson County and a third case in Calhoun County, where he’s charged with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for assaults committed in 2006. That case is not yet set for trial.

“Today’s sentencing serves as a reminder that we remain committed to securing justice for survivors who long thought they would never see their abuser held accountable,” Nessel said. “I’m proud of the work done by the Jackson County SAKI team to obtain this conviction and sentence against Mr. Risner.” 

“Justice was served not only for the victim, but for our community,” Jarzynka said. “The Jackson County SAKI Team did outstanding work to bring this defendant to justice.”

Since 2013, the Michigan Legislature has appropriated funds to the Attorney General’s office for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting cases that arise from previously untested sexual assault kits. In fiscal year 2021, the legislature again appropriated money to the Attorney General’s office to provide funding to SAKI projects in Kalamazoo,
Calhoun, Ingham, Jackson, Washtenaw and Wayne counties.