Full Notification

The Columbia Township Police Department is currently investigating a case that began as a harassment complaint. That investigation has now expanded to include charges of violation of the Sex Offender Registry law, and other charges.

On March 5, 2012, Columbia Township Police were dispatched to a call of harassment. The mother of a 10 year-old girl reported that her daughter had been receiving unsolicited contact through both text messaging and the internet. The mother and her daughter initially believed the subject sending the messages was a stranger.

The early investigation revealed a name for the suspect, which was quickly determined to be an alias. Further digging revealed not only his real name, but the fact that he was a registered sex offender, and that he was in fact known to the mother and her daughter.

After learning the suspect was a registered sex offender, a search warrant was obtained for his residence, in Blackman Township. The Sex Offender Registry was then checked to ascertain whether or not the suspect had properly registered his email address and phone numbers, as required by law. He had not. Additionally, multiple Facebook pages were found for the suspect.

The search warrant was executed on Tuesday, March 11, 2014, at approximately 10:00 A.M. Blackman Township Public Safety assisted with the execution of the search warrant. The suspect, 43 year old Benjamin Keith Mayfield, was home alone at the time of the search warrant. Seized pursuant to the search warrant were a computer, multiple cell phones, media storage devices, cd’s, and other relevant evidence.

One image of child pornography was immediately located on one of the cell phones. The remaining evidence will be forwarded to the Michigan State Police Crime Lab for processing for other possible evidence.

Mayfield was interviewed, and then lodged at the Jackson County Jail on initial charges of violating the Michigan Sex Offender Registration Act. The report was forwarded to the Jackson County Prosecutor, and on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, Mayfield was charged with “Using a Computer to Commit A Crime” (7 year felony), “Possession of Child Sexually Abusive Material” (4 year felony), and “Failure to Comply with the Sex Offenders Registration Act” (4 year felony).

Mayfield was arraigned on Thursday, March 13, 2014, and is being held on $100,000.00 bond.