Charlotte Park man accused of sex crimes against kids in Michigan

A Charlotte Park man was arrested Wednesday after deputies from both Charlotte County and Michigan’s Kent County say he committed sex crimes against children.

According to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, 49-year-old Shannon Guay was arrested at his home on Sturgeon Place. He has been charged by the Kent County Prosecutors’ office in three separate cases, with six counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct (punishable by a maximum of life in prison) and seven counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct (which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison).

The charges involve five separate victims, who were all minors at the time of the offenses, and the incidents occurred at three different locations in Kent County, Michigan.

The investigation started in March when a Plainfield Township business started receiving concerning voicemails from an individual regarding allegations of past assaults, possibly at that location or involving a past employee. Detectives learned that some of the victims were in fact sexually assaulted while attending Aerials & Baranis Gymnastics around the years of 2006-2008, while Guay was employed at the gymnastics center and served as a coach.

Guay was a resident of Kent County until around 2010 and is currently a Florida resident; he is awaiting extradition to the Kent County Jail. The case remains open as investigators continue to look through evidence. Since Guay was a coach, there is the possibility of additional individuals who may have information about this case or other cases.

If you have any information regarding criminal activity involving Shannon Guay in Charlotte County, please contact CCSO at (941) 639-2101.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, please seek help by contacting CCSO or the Center for Abuse and Rape Emergencies at C.A.R.E.’s 24-hour Crisis Hotline: (941) 627-6000 or C.A.R.E.’s Sexual Assault Helpline: (941) 637-0404.