Michigan Sex Offender And Felon Running For County Sheriff

BAY CITY, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - A 52-year-old Michigan man is seeking a county sheriff's job despite multiple felony convictions and an order to register as a sex offender.

The Bay City Times reports Thursday that Kenneth Zolnierek is a write-in candidate for Bay County sheriff this fall.

He was convicted in 1994 of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in Alpena County and also served prison time after pleading no-contest to a charge of distributing or promoting child sexually abusive material in Bay County in 2008.

Michigan Department of Correction records show Zolnierek was sentenced to two years, 10 months to seven years in the more recent case and was released from prison last summer. Other past convictions listed include prisoner possessing contraband, unlawfully driving away an automobile and uttering and publishing.

Zolnierek says he wants to "make the streets safer and people feel more at home so they don't have to lock their doors."

According to his MDOC profile, Zolnierek has 10 tattoos — including a map of Michigan.

The newspaper reports that under Michigan election law it's legal for Zolnierek to run for sheriff.

Four others are seeking the post. The current sheriff is not seeking re-election.

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