By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
LUDINGTON — A 41-year-old man with an extensive criminal history pleaded no contest to multiple charges, including four counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, in Mason County’s 51st Circuit Court Thursday, Aug. 6, on the second day of his criminal trial.
Borah
Shawn Ryan Borah also pleaded no contest to one count of domestic violence, one count of interfering with electronic communications, one count of assaulting/resisting/obstructing police and fourth-offense habitual offender.
“This matter was scheduled for trial on Aug. 5, 2026,” said Mason County Prosecuting Attorney Beth Hand. “A jury was selected, and the court had intended on giving instructions to the jury and proceeding to opening statements the morning of Aug. 6, 2026. Prior to bringing the jury back into the courtroom to commence trial, the defendant tendered a no contest plea on all charges in both of his cases.
“There is no sentence agreement in either case,” said Prosecutor Hand.
“The defendant’s charges stem from him engaging in sexual intercourse and digitally penetrating a person related to him by blood or affinity to the third degree,” said Hand. The victim was an adult relative to Borah.
“These actions took place over the course of a 10-month period of time. The sexual assault offenses came to the attention of this office during preparation for trial on the misdemeanor domestic charge contained in this case. It was at that time, in discussing the matter with the victim, that the true nature of the relationship between the defendant and his victim was learned by this office.”
Borah is approximately 18 years older than the victim, said the prosecutor.
The offense time frame in the CSC case is 2022, and the offense date in the assaulting/resisting/obstructing police case is Dec. 22, 2024, according to court records.
Borah was sentenced to six to 20 years in prison in 2017 for a Manistee County conviction of operating/maintaining a meth lab, according to Michigan Department of Corrections records. He was sentenced to one to two years in prison for a 2003 Wexford County conviction of unlawful use of a motor vehicle; two and a half to five years for a 2003 Manistee County conviction of car theft; and one year and four months to two years for a 2003 Manistee County conviction of unlawful use of a motor vehicle, according to the MDOC. He also has a prior conviction in Lake County for breaking and entering with intent.
Borah is lodged in the Mason County Jail on a $100,000 cash/surety bond.
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 7 at 4 p.m.
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