A Calumet man will serve a minimum of 57 months in prison after a Houghton County judge sentenced him Wednesday on two counts of criminal sexual conduct involving children under the age of 13.
Judge Brittany Bulleit sentenced Chad Raymond Just, 41, to serve 57 months to 15 years in prison for inappropriately touching two girls. Just must also register as a sex offender with the state of Michigan and is subject to lifetime electronic monitoring and STD testing.
The Houghton County Sheriff’s Office opened a criminal investigation in early 2025 after the undersheriff received a tip from the victims’ mother. Whose daughters told her, Just had inappropriately touched them three and four years before his arrest in a separate case. A police interview with Just in February 2025 revealed one incident occurred in 2022 at his home, where the children had been staying. During the interview with police, Just stated “I was getting ready to go to work and I rubbed my hand on her vagina”.
A plea agreement was reached to spare the victims from testifying at trial, according to Assistant Prosecutor Hilary Baker.
“This is a case where, in consultation with the victims and their families, we wanted to spare these children having to testify — that is why a plea agreement was made,” Baker said. “I think there are a lot of factors the court should consider today, specifically the age of these victims and their vulnerability.”
Judge Bulleit addressed Just directly after his statement to the court, pointing out that his remarks centered on his own losses rather than the harm done to his victims.
“Yes, you apologized, and I appreciate that you accepted responsibility, Mr. Just — but what you told me was, ‘I’m sorry, here are all the things that have been ruined in my life, here are the things that I have lost,'” Bulleit said. “You focused nothing on what your victims lost. You want to get back to your life. Well, they have to get back to the lives that they have now based upon your behavior.”
Just was credited with 79 days served on his 57 months to 15 years sentence. He will also need to pay $326 in court fines and fees.
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