.png)
By Allison Scarbrough, News Editor
LUDINGTON — A 33-year-old Ludington man who missed a court hearing in Mason County last April was extradited from Illinois back to Mason County this week to face two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct — victim under age 13.
Chavez
The Ludington Police Department picked up Jose Elias Chavez at the Cook County Sheriff’s Office in Chicago and transported him to the Mason County Jail Wednesday, Aug. 12, said Capt. Michael Haveman.
Chavez, who was free after posting 10 percent of a $10,000 bond, failed to appear for a plea hearing in 51st Circuit Court, April 7, court records show.
The offense date for the CSC charges is Oct. 1, 2016, according to court records.
Chavez has a new plea hearing scheduled for Sept. 15 at 8:40 a.m.
The maximum penalty for first-degree CSC is life in prison.
______________________________________
Please Support Local News Coverage
For generations, local newspapers were supported by subscriptions. Today, while Mason County Press and Oceana County Press remain free to everyone, the cost of producing quality local journalism continues to rise.
If you value independent local news coverage, we invite you to help sustain it by subscribing to the MCP/OCP Daily Briefing for $12 a month — about 40 cents a day — or $120 a year.
Your subscription helps support the reporters, photographers and editors who cover local government, schools, community events, sports, breaking news and the stories that matter most to Mason and Oceana counties. In return, you’ll receive the MCP/OCP Daily Briefing each morning with the day’s headlines, along with occasional breaking news and special email editions.
Monthly subscriptions are available for $12 per month.
Click here to subscribe monthly.
Annual subscriptions are available for $120 per year. That’s a two month savings!
Click here to subscribe annually.
If you prefer to pay by check, mail your $120 annual payment to:
Media Group 31, LLC
P.O. Box 21
Scottville, MI 49454
Please include your name, mailing address, email address and telephone number so we can activate your subscription.
Subscription payments must be received before service is activated.
Whether you choose to subscribe or continue enjoying our free content, thank you for reading Mason County Press and Oceana County Press. Your readership—and your support—helps ensure that independent local journalism remains available to everyone in our communities.
This story and original photography are copyrighted © 2026 by Media Group 31, LLC, P.O. Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. All rights reserved. No portion of this story or its images may be reproduced in any form, including print, broadcast or electronic media, without the express written permission of Media Group 31, LLC.
As a news organization, Media Group 31 maintains published content as part of the public and historical record. Accordingly, stories are not removed after publication. At the editor’s discretion, stories may be updated or corrected as new information becomes available. Updates may be made by revising the original story or by publishing a follow-up story. Media Group 31, LLC reserves the right to modify this policy at any time. Please refer to our Use Policy for additional information.
