News Photo by Temi Fadayomi Michigan Assistant Attorney General Christine Grand speaks to Alpena County Circuit Court Judge Ed Black in the 88th District Court courtroom in Alpena during Thomas VanDuinen’s trial on Tuesday. A jury on Thursday found VanDuinen guilty of three counts of false report of a felony, one count of lying to a peace officer, and one count of using a computer to commit a crime.

ALPENA — Thomas VanDuinen’s conviction this week for making false claims against police officers is unlikely to significantly impact his defense in an upcoming federal case in which prosecutors accuse VanDuinen of sex crimes against a minor, VanDuinen’s attorney said Friday.

A jury on Thursday found VanDuinen guilty of three counts of false report of a felony, one count of lying to a peace officer, and one count of using a computer to commit a crime after the Michigan Attorney General’s Office said VanDuinen lied to the Michigan State Police’s internal affairs unit.

VanDuinen now faces a federal case and another state case regarding criminal sexual conduct charges.

In federal court, VanDuinen faces one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.

In state court, VanDuinen faces one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct during a felony, three counts of aggravated child sexually abusive activity, two counts of using a computer to commit a crime, and one count of accosting and soliciting prostitution.

John Freeman, of Troy, represents VanDuinen in federal court.

“I think the recent conviction in state court will have minimal — if any — impact at all on the pending federal proceedings,” Freeman said. “We are still moving forward in the federal case, and tend to mount a vigorous defense at trial in that case.”

Freeman said he has worked on VanDuinen’s federal case since late December.

He declined to talk about what he is doing to prepare for VanDuinen’s defense. He said the federal case is scheduled for trial in October.

To avoid prejudicing the jury against VanDuinen during his false statements trial this week, the prosecution and defense agreed not to discuss the specifics of the criminal sexual conduct investigations in court, though VanDuinen’s conduct in response to those investigations resulted in the false statements charges.

In February 2021, the State Police searched VanDuinen’s home and a pole barn he was renting for his business in Alpena, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office said in a news release Friday.

Two days later, VanDuinen began filing reports and demands for the return of his property and then sued the State Police, falsely accusing the troopers who executed the search warrant of stealing money and hydrocodone pills and forging signatures on the search warrants.

The Michigan Solicitor General closed the investigation against the troopers in January 2022.

“False accusations can be incredibly damaging, and law enforcement officers who dedicate themselves to serving our communities deserve to have their reputations protected from them,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a written statement on Friday. “I commend the jury for holding Mr. VanDuinen accountable.”

Alpena County Circuit Court Judge Ed Black will sentence VanDuinen for the false statements conviction at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 19.

The State Police began investigating VanDuinen three years ago after an alleged victim claimed VanDuinen preyed on young girls, provided illegal drugs to them, and forced them to have sex with him.

Detectives recovered countless images and videos of child sexually abusive material during their search of VanDuinen’s property.

Police say VanDuinen also made child sexually abusive materials and used social media to reach out to young girls.

Temi Fadayomi can be reached at 989-358-5693 or tfadayomi@thealpenanews.com.