Stevensville Man Charged In Criminal Sexual Conduct Case

berriencountycourthouse-41
berriencountycourthouse-41

A Stevensville area restaurant owner is facing charges of kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct. The Berrien County Prosecutor’s office tells us 50-year-old Raffaele Santaniello of Stevensville is charged with criminal sexual conduct in the third degree, six counts of criminal sexual conduct in the fourth degree, and kidnapping, all stemming allegations from three separate victims who were employed by Santaniello. The alleged incidents took place between 2016 and 2021. The prosecutor says none of the incidents were related and they took place at different times and locations. Santaniello faces up to 15 years in prison for the third degree charge, two years in prison for the fourth degree charges, and a sentence of any number of years for the kidnapping charge. He was arraigned on Monday with bond set at $250,000. Santaniello’s attorney, Eric Zagrans, says he can’t comment until after he has read the prosecutor’s press release announcing the charges.