Courtesy photo Aaron Pokorzynski

ALPENA — An application for leave to appeal was denied by the Michigan Court of Appeals (COA) in the case of Aaron Pokorzynski, 37, who is charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of first- degree criminal sexual conduct.

The first-degree charges refer to a case where Pokorzynski allegedly had sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old child while serving as their tennis instructor at the APlex in 2012.

The second-degree charge involves an incident in 2021 with a separate individual who he was also an instructor for.

The application for leave to appeal was filed by Attorney Matt Wojda, Pokorzynski’s attorney at the time, on Jan. 7. The COA responded on May 7 to deny the application for leave to appeal “for failure to persuade the Court of the need for immediate appellate review.”

At Pokorzynski’s last hearing in December, Wojda and Alpena County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Alyssa Miller debated the admissibility of some pieces of evidence in preparation for jury trial.

One piece of evidence they debated concerned whether gifts given by Pokorzynski, including food, clothing, and alcohol, should be admissible as evidence of alleged grooming.

Alpena County 26th Circuit Court Judge Ed Black decided that evidence related to gifts as evidence for grooming is admissible, but specific mentions of the prior conviction are not. He noted that there is a point at which focusing for too long on any gifts from Pokorzynski while questioning witnesses would be a problem, but where to draw the line will not be clear until the jury trial.

At that hearing, Wojda said he planned to file a leave to appeal on that decision. The jury trial has since been put on hold until the COA could submit their order about the application for leave to appeal.

According to MiCourt, as of June 3, Pokorzynski will now be represented by Attorney Gary Springstead, who is based in Fremont, MI.

There is no date yet scheduled for a hearing according to MiCourt.