CRIME

Court reports: 50th Circuit Court hands down sentences for murder and assault cases

Staff reports
On July 19, the 50th Circuit Court in Chippewa County handed down sentences for Tyler Delong, in an assault case, and for Jacob Mckerchie, in a murder case.

SAULT STE. MARIE — On July 19, the 50th Circuit Court in Chippewa County handed down sentences for Tyler Delong, in an assault case, and for Jacob Mckerchie, in a murder case.

According to a press release from the Sault Ste. Marie Police Department, Delong was convicted in March 2022 by a jury of his peers for assault with intent to murder, first degree criminal sexual conduct and unlawful imprisonment.

The events stemmed from a 2019 incident in which he sexually assaulted a childhood friend and stabbed the man who came to save her. Both victims survived and testified during the trial. 

Judge James P. Lambros sentenced Delong to 30 years in prison. He will be eligible to see a parole board after 18 years and six months.

More:Sault man convicted in assault and criminal sexual conduct case after more than two years

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Mckerchie was sentenced to 50 years in prison for the murder of his former girlfriend in August 2021. He will be eligible to see a parole board after 22 years and six months. He received the maximum penalty possible under the current law.

In both cases, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Department provided investigations that permitted the cases to be fully prosecuted. 

“Sault PD will continue to do its part to ensure that those who choose to commit heinous and evil crimes in our community are brought to tough, swift, and merciless justice," said Chief Wesley Bierling in a statement. 

According to the press release, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the sentencing for these charges.

“We are seeing a significant upswing in violent crime since the pandemic began," said Chippewa County Prosecutor Rob Stratton. "My office will continue to prioritize getting violent offenders off the streets, and bringing them to justice. There is nothing in this world worse than losing a child. Mr. Mckerchie took someone’s child from them, and Mr. Delong very nearly succeeded in doing the same thing. These men needed to be punished and removed from society and today, that happened.”

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