The trial of Aaron Pokorzynski, a former tennis instructor charged with four criminal sexual conduct counts, will be rescheduled after his defense attorney told an Alpena judge he has an out-of-state seminar that conflicts with the current Jan. 26 date.

Pokorzynski, 31, appeared Tuesday in the 26th Circuit Court in Alpena. Court records show the trial date had been set for Jan. 26, but Judge Ed Black said he would prefer to schedule the trial for a date in January or February that works for the court and the defense.

Charges involve two alleged incidents

Pokorzynski is charged with second-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. According to the case information reported by The Alpena News, the first-degree charges involve an allegation that he had sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old child while serving as the child’s tennis instructor at the APlex in 2012.

The second-degree charge concerns a separate 2021 incident involving another individual for whom Pokorzynski was also an instructor. The allegations remain matters for the court to resolve.

The trial was initially scheduled for Jan. 13 of this year. It was later moved to Oct. 13 after Pokorzynski’s attorney at the time, Matt Wojda, filed an application for leave to appeal. That filing paused further hearings while the Michigan Court of Appeals considered whether to hear the appeal. The application was ultimately denied.

New defense attorney expects motions

Pokorzynski changed attorneys June 3, according to court records. His current attorney, Gary Springstead, is based in Fremont, Michigan.

At Tuesday’s hearing, Springstead told the court he expects to file at least one motion after completing research on the case. He said he could potentially file as many as three motions. In a criminal case, a motion asks a judge to make a ruling, issue an order or take another specific action.

Springstead said he is seeking a new trial date shortly before or shortly after Jan. 26. The new date had not been scheduled when the article was published.

Judge Black ordered witness and exhibit lists to be filed by Dec. 1 as part of preparation for trial. Pokorzynski’s next hearing is scheduled for 1:15 p.m. Nov. 2, when Springstead is expected to have filed any motions.

Other Alpena County sentencings

The court also handled several sentencings:

  • Dennis Moldenhauer Jr., 27, received 12 months of probation for assault or assault and battery.
  • Julie Skierski, 60, received 18 months of probation, with six months of jail credited as already served, for possession of methamphetamine/ecstasy. She will not serve additional jail time if she follows probation requirements.
  • Brandy Bowen, 40, received 12 months in jail with credit for 183 days. She is expected to be released after eight months for residential treatment. Bowen pleaded no contest to assault or assault and battery, malicious destruction of a building valued at more than $200 but less than $1,000, third-degree home invasion, and assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer.
  • Jeremy Sahr, 49, received one year of probation after pleading no contest to assault of a prison employee, two counts of assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer, and being a disorderly person while drunk.