LANSING, Mich. – A Hillsdale County jury convicted Vincent Allen Payne, 60, of Valrico, Florida on January 15, 2026 of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for sexually assaulting a minor relative between 2004 and 2008, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Prosecutors said Payne sexually assaulted the victim while living in the same home in the city of Hillsdale. The victim was under the age of 15 at the time of the assaults.
Payne was charged by the Hillsdale County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in January 2010 but later fled the state. He was located in Florida and extradited back to Michigan last year by the U.S. Marshals Service as part of Operation Survivor Justice, a multi-agency effort to track down and return fugitives with outstanding sexual assault warrants.
“My office, and prosecutors across the state, are able to secure accountability for sexual predators across state lines and decades through our continued efforts under Operation Survivor Justice,” Nessel said in a statement.
What Sentence Payne Is Likely Facing
Under Michigan law, first-degree criminal sexual conduct is among the most serious felony offenses in the state. When the victim is under 15 years old and the offender is a household member or relative, the offense qualifies for the harshest sentencing range.
Payne now faces:
- Up to life in prison, or any term of years
- Mandatory sex offender registration
- Mandatory lifetime electronic monitoring following any prison release
If the court determines the victim was under the age of 13 at the time of the assaults, Michigan law requires a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, with no discretion for early release. Courts also retain the authority to impose a life sentence based on the duration of the abuse, the victim’s age, and Payne’s relationship to the victim.
Sentencing will ultimately be determined by the judge, who will consider statutory requirements, sentencing guidelines, victim impact statements, and the length and severity of the abuse.
Payne is scheduled to return to Hillsdale County Circuit Court for sentencing on March 2.
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