A federal jury in Marquette, Michigan, has convicted a 39-year-old Pellston man on two counts of sexual abuse of a minor following a federal trial that began Monday.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced the conviction of Eric Scott May on Wednesday. According to court documents and evidence presented during the proceedings, May engaged in sexual acts with a victim between the ages of 12 and 15 between February and March 2025.
Federal investigators and court filings detailed that the assault occurred at a residence in Sault Ste. Marie. Testimony from a witness established that May exploited the minor while the child was in his care.
During the trial, prosecutors presented proof that May had previously sexually exploited a different child who was under the age of 12 at the time. VerHey noted that May has a substantial criminal history comprising more than ten prior felony convictions.
Prosecutors Seek Lengthy Prison Sentence for Eric May
“The public expects federal law enforcement to do a lot of things, but none is more important than identifying, prosecuting and imprisoning child molesters like Eric May,” VerHey said.
VerHey praised the trial team and investigators for their work in compiling the evidence that led to the jury’s verdict. He added that prosecutors intend to outline reasons for a lengthy prison sentence during the upcoming sentencing hearing.
The multi-agency investigation into the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Sault Tribe Police Department, and the Michigan State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hanna L. Rutkowski and Alexis M. Sanford are handling the prosecution of the case.
