Corunna, Mi. - Thomas Chester, 57, of Holt was sentenced by Michigan 35th Circuit Court Judge Matthew Stewart, on Friday, to a minimum of 20 months not to exceed 240 months in the Michigan Department of Correction. Chester pled guilty to being caught in a Shiawassee County Sheriff’s Office Sting seeking oral sex from a 15-year-old boy. The age of consent is 16 years of age in Michigan.  

Chester, a former foster parent and involved in Youth Ministry, was caught in a sting that was held in Shiawassee County on August 8, 2021. Chester had been charged with Child Sexually Abusive Commercial Activity, Children – Accosting for Immoral Purpose, and Computers – Internet – Communicate with another to commit a crime.  

Judge Stewart speaking to Chester at sentencing,  

“As I read through the files, it looks like at one point you thought you were talking to two people that you thought were 15-year old's. And, what surprises me is that both of who you thought were 15-year-old were both decoys and that both had sent you the same stock photo of a penis, and it surprises me that didn’t deter you. You didn’t think like jeez, maybe something is weird here and I oughta back off or go do something else. But you still perused. Not one but two. It is hard to imagine what you would have done had you actually found a 15-year-old on the other side of your chat line and what you would have done to that 15-year-old. And what that would have done to that 15-year-old moving forward. And I hope that had never happened before, I don’t know, you will tell me you didn’t, but we will never really know. You are 57 years old, so this isn’t the kind of thing that just starts up out of the blue. I just don’t know. So, I guess is all we can do is wonder and do the best we can to make sure that you are not in a position to do this again. And having said that then, Mr. Chester, you are required to register as a sex offender on the sex offender's registry act, and you will have to follow those guidelines and those procedures. “ 

Judge Stewart laid out Chester’s financial costs and obligations and then said, “And fortunately for you the guideline range only allows me to give you twenty months and that is exactly what you are going to get today. Twenty months in the Michigan Department of Correction not to exceed 240 months, credit for five days.” 

In parting Judge Stewart said to Chester, “I hope you figure out what's happened to you that makes you to do things like this. And maybe through the Michigan Department of Corrections, they can help you find out so that when you get out you are not going to be inclined or tempted to prey on children. And with that, you can go with the deputy.”