The case against a man from Michigan facing criminal charges for traveling to Putnam County to meet a 12-year-old girl for sex is moving forward.
[...]
"He (Liebert) stated that
she (the victim) told him that she was 12. He thought she was lying, he thought she was role playing...like it was her mother role playing as a twelve year old," Detective Sean Johnson with the Putnam County County Sheriff's Department testified. "He (Liebert) said that
even after he had seen her and realized that she was 12 that her maturity level was that of an adult."
[...]
The defense scolded investigators for not collecting evidence when Liebert was arrested.
"Any DNA evidence that might have been available in this case, is now completely lost and unavailable, correct?," Liebert's Attorney Duane Rosenlieb said.
A Putnam detective testified that it was too late to collect the DNA, but investigators had enough evidence without it.
"At the time, I didn't feel I needed it because I had his confession, he had stated that it had happened," Detective Johnson said.
"His client confessed, I mean that is the clearest and most truest statement, even without any of the other evidence it meets our burden," Putnam County Prosecutor Steve Connolly said.
During the hearing Wednesday, the magistrate found probable cause to send the case against Liebert to the grand jury.
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