Michigan Youth Worker Faces 15 Years After Sex Assault Conviction

Facing up to 15 years in prison at her July 2 sentencing, 33-year-old Svetlana Kuryanova has been convicted on two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct. A jury found her guilty on June 17 of sexually assaulting two male teens—ages 16 and 17—while they were in her care on April 8.

Background of the Sexual Assault Case

According to prosecutors, Kuryanova was employed as a juvenile detention specialist at the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Center. Facility leadership became alarmed after noticing suspicious activity involving Kuryanova and two male residents while monitoring a continuous video feed from a security camera.

She was immediately relieved of her duties, and criminal charges followed. Wayne County released a statement emphasizing that “this single bad actor is not representative of the values of Wayne County and the hardworking men and women of the Juvenile Detention Facility.”

Support for Victims: Resources That Help

These teens were lucky someone was watching. Sadly, in many cases, children who are sexually abused don’t know who to talk to or what to do. I was in a similar situation in my youth and didn’t realize help was available.

Parents must ensure that their children feel safe discussing serious issues like this. Resources such as the Michigan Sexual Abuse Hotline (855-VOICES4) are available 24/7. The service is free and confidential.

If you see something, say something. Whether you’re a victim or a bystander like the alert staff in this case—don’t stay silent.

Where Does Wayne County Stand?

Following the assault and subsequent prosecution, Wayne County released this statement to the public:

'Wayne County will not tolerate the intentional exploitation of our youth. We will continue to prosecute any staff who compromises the safety and preys on the vulnerability of our young people and staff. We remain committed to upholding the integrity of public service.

On April 8, Juvenile Detention Facility staff, that leadership put in place to continuously monitor live video feed of the housing units within the JDF, alerted Facility Supervisors of suspicious activity involving a female staffer and two male residents. The employee was immediately separated from employment with Wayne County. The ensuing investigation resulted in the charges of criminal sexual conduct against the staffer.

This single bad actor is not representative of the values of Wayne County and the hardworking men and women of the Juvenile Detention Facility. Furthermore, she intentionally circumvented policies, procedures, and security measures that have been put into place to ensure the safety and security of the youth in our care.

Wayne County is committed to ensuring that all bad actors are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.'