Weidman man will spend most of life in prison after conclusion to January sexual assault case
Daniel Danny Leonard will spend more than 35 years behind bars after he pled guilty to five charges Monday.
He had been accused of sexually assaulting a 24-year-old victim in the early morning hours of Jan. 8, while trying to enter apartments in Union Township through unlocked doors.
His trial had been delayed three times before Monday, when the jury selection was scheduled to begin. He chose to plead guilty instead of go through the trial process.
“It’s not that unusual defendants delay and delay and delay, and the day of the trial they decide to plead,” said Isabella County Prosecutor Larry Burdick.
Leonard, 27, of Weidman faces a minimum sentence of 30 to 35 years in prison for a first degree criminal sexual conduct charge alone. He also pleaded guilty to attempted criminal sexual conduct, assault with a dangerous weapon, first degree home invasion and being a habitual offender.
He faces an additional 45 years for the other charges, and the habitual offender charge could increase that maximum sentence. The agreement drops five other charges Leonard faced. Evidence showed Leonard had no connection to the victims of both attempts, which is rare, Burdick said.
Leonard’s sentencing had been scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Dec. 17 in court room 4.
“It’s a very good resolution,” Burdick said. “Mr. Leonard, who committed terrible crimes, is going to spend a significant part of his life in prison.”
Leonard served time in prison prior to the sexual assault. He was sentenced to 15 months to 10 years in prison for possession of methamphetamine in July 2005, and was released in 2007.
He was also sentenced to 18 months in November 2004 for attempted larceny, but was discharged in July 2005, according to Michigan Department of Corrections records.
