(COLDWATER) - A Branch County judge has ruled that some statements made by an Algansee Township man accused of child sexually abusive material offenses cannot be used against him at trial.
A story in The Coldwater Daily Reporter states District Judge Brent Weigle ruled June 18 that Michigan State Police should have stopped questioning 44-year-old Ryan Shortridge after he requested an attorney during an October 2025 interview.
Shortridge faces seven felony charges tied to alleged child sexually abusive material.
According to court testimony, the investigation began after a tip from the KIK messaging app led authorities to allege Shortridge uploaded illicit material using a Starlink internet connection at his home.
Defense attorney Takura Nyamfukudza argued Shortridge was effectively in custody when troopers executed a search warrant and questioned him on Oct. 16, 2025. Testimony indicated Shortridge's wife was asked to call him home and that officers questioned him after he arrived.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Nora Geiger argued Shortridge was not in custody for Miranda purposes because he returned voluntarily, was questioned outside and was told he was free to leave.
The Coldwater Daily Reporter says Weigle determined the initial portion of the encounter did not qualify as custody under Miranda. However, the judge ruled investigators should have stopped questioning Shortridge or advised him of his rights after he said he would rather speak with a lawyer.
The judge has not yet decided whether evidence recovered from Shortridge's phone, including images and messages, will be admissible at trial. That issue will be addressed during a future hearing.
Shortridge remains free on a $200,000 bond. Conditions of his release prohibit contact with minors and internet use. If convicted, he could face decades in prison and mandatory sex offender registration.