Dominik Rydz/Poland/Sex Assault

Polish national Dominik Rydz, a lawful foreign worker in northern Michigan, was criminally charged after sexually assaulting a fellow foreign worker during a gathering near Charlevoix County. According to a press release from the Charlevoix County prosecutor, Rydz isolated and forcibly touched the victim at a “going away party” for seasonal workers in the summer of 2023.

He later entered a no-contest plea to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, a sex assault offense under Michigan law that is treated the same as a guilty plea for sentencing.​

After the assault, both Rydz and the victim returned to their home countries when their work authorization expired, prompting authorities to seek his return through international channels. With assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice, Rydz was extradited from Poland after initially fleeing to Germany. He is scheduled for sentencing in Charlevoix County, where prosecutors have emphasized the impact on the victim and the importance of protecting foreign workers from sexual assault.