Rocky Perillo, a bus monitor for Plymouth-Canton Community Schools, has entered a not guilty plea in response to the sexual assault charges he is facing. After his arrest by the Northville Township Police, Perillo appeared in the 35th District Court in Plymouth, Michigan where his attorney entered the plea on his behalf.
According to the Northville Township Police, the charges against 46-year-old Perillo do not have anything to do with his time as a bus monitor, where he worked with special needs students. None of the students he worked with involved in the allegations in any way. Perillo was hired by Durham School Services in 2014 and the charges are said to stem from an incident that took place about five years ago.
Perillo is accused of having sexually assaulted a minor, who was allegedly 9-years-old at the time. As a result, he was charged with single counts of First Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct involving a person under 13 and Second Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct involving a person under 13.
The law is very clear about how sex crimes against children should be handled
Under Michigan law, First Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct (SCS) involving a person under 13 is a felony punishable by up to life in prison, with a 25-year mandatory minimum prison sentence in the Michigan Department of Corrections. Second Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct (CSC) involving a person under 13, which is also a felony, is punishable with a 15-year prison sentence. If convicted, Perillo would also be on Michigan’s public Sex Offender Registry for life.
Since the charges have been brought, another juvenile has come forward claiming that they too were a victim of Perillo’s during the period when he worked as a home health care provider. Police are currently investigating those allegations as well, but no information is available yet about whether or not there will be additional charges as a result.
In a joint statement issued by Plymouth-Canton Community Schools and Durham School Services, it is stated that Perillo has been placed on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Perillo is currently being held in the Wayne County Jail in Detroit. His probable cause hearing has been scheduled to take place before Wayne County District Court Judge Michael J. Gerou at 8:30 am on May 20, 2016.