A Huron County jury found a 62-year-old Bad Axe man guilty on Wednesday of witness retaliation, a felony offense.
Ronald Francis Grady of Bad Axe was tried on the charge of retaliating against a witness before Huron County Circuit Court Judge Gerald M. Prill, with the jury only taking 40 minutes to return a unanimous guilty verdict.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on December 27, 2024, at Bottom’s Up Bar in Bad Axe. During the evening, Grady encountered a woman who had a valid Personal Protection Order (PPO) prohibiting him from any contact with her. Testimony during the trial revealed that Grady initially left the bar after seeing her but later returned and became confrontational with the woman’s fiancé, who was there with her.
Witnesses testified that Grady became angry, approached the fiancé, and made threatening remarks—telling him that he was a “dead man”—while attempting to provoke a fight outside the bar. Bar staff intervened and ordered Grady to leave the premises.
The Bad Axe Police Department, led by Officer Eric Hessling, investigated the matter and confirmed that Grady’s actions may have violated the PPO and were intended to intimidate and retaliate against individuals involved in the criminal justice process. When interviewed by police, Grady admitted to making a threatening statement toward the fiancé, saying there would be “a reckoning” for him because of his prior testimony in the PPO hearing.
Following the investigation, a warrant was issued, and Grady was charged and arrested. The one-day jury trial was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Alexander Pahany, who presented multiple witnesses and body-worn camera evidence to establish Grady’s intent and actions.
Grady will be sentenced as a Habitual Offender – Fourth Offense, which allows for enhanced penalties. Grady’s bond was continued pending sentencing, which is scheduled for Monday, December 15, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. before Judge Gerald Prill in the Huron County Circuit Court.
