22-year-old Najee Thompson is escorted out of the courtroom following his preliminary hearing in the 54B District Court on Feb. 6, 2020.
—A man from Jackson County waived his right to a preliminary exam at East Lansing 54B District Court on Thursday, Feb. 6 after being charged with two felonies.
Najee Thompson, 21, is facing charges for extortion and using a computer to commit a crime. The matter is transferred and bound over to Ingham County Circuit Court.
According to Lansing State Journal, Thompson allegedly blackmailed a Michigan State University student by using nude photos he asked her to send him.
Thompson’s defense attorney, Keith Watson, said he also has a case pending in Jackson County Circuit Court.
“I don’t represent Mr. Thompson in that matter but I have been in contact with his counsel,” Watson said as he made a motion to reduce the bond.
According to MLive, Thompson was charged with two felony counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one felony count of unlawful imprisonment, one felony count of interfering with electronic communications and one misdemeanor count of intentional dissemination of sexually explicit material in Jackson county.
Watson said Thompson had posted a $30,000 bond with certain conditions and an electronic monitoring device. He asked the judge to consider making the bond something similar to what Jackson County has posted.
Chief Judge Richard Ball denied the motion. Thompson's bond is currently set at $100,000. It has not been posted.
“My recollection in this matter is that the nature of the charges is particularly morose,” Ball said. “I think the bond is appropriate.”
Thompson is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 19. The time will be announced upon the assignment of a circuit judge.
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