A Florida man convicted of sexually assaulting a minor relative in the early 2000s has been sentenced to up to 30 years in prison.
Hillsdale County Circuit Judge Sara Lisznyai sentenced Vincent Allen Payne, 60, of Valrico, Florida, on Monday to 19 to 30 years after he was found guilty of one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
Payne was convicted Jan. 16 of assaulting a relative between 2004 and 2008, when the victim was under 15 years old. Authorities said the assaults occurred while Payne was living in the same home in Hillsdale.
Payne was extradited to Michigan last year by the United States Marshals Service as part of Operation Survivor Justice, a partnership aimed at locating and returning fugitives with outstanding sexual assault warrants.
“My office, and prosecutors across the state, are able to secure accountability for sexual predators through our continued efforts under Operation Survivor Justice,” said Dana Nessel. She credited the Marshals Service, the Hillsdale County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and state prosecutors for bringing justice to the victim years after the assaults.
Court records show Payne was originally charged by the Hillsdale County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in January 2010 but could not be located at the time.
Operation Survivor Justice is a collaboration between the Michigan Department of Attorney General, local county prosecutors and the U.S. Marshals Service to track down and return fugitive offenders to Michigan.