LIVONIA, Mich. – A 34-year-old man from Livonia is expected to spend 12-25 years behind bars after pleading guilty to a 2010 rape at Western Michigan University.
According to authorities, Cameron Alvarez was a sophomore at WMU when he met an 18-year-old at a party and the two planned to watch a movie in her dorm room. The Attorney General’s Office said the teen made it clear that she only wanted to watch a movie and did not want to engage in any sexual activity, but that Alvarez began assaulting her “almost immediately.” He reportedly was in her dorm for about 15 minutes before leaving.
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Authorities said the victim chose not to pursue criminal charges at the time because she felt the assault wasn’t taken seriously by the police she reported it to. Because of this, the teen’s sexual assault kit was not tested until 2016, when it was submitted to a private lab as part of a statewide initiative to clear the backlog of untested kits.
During the investigation, six other women came forward to report they had been sexually assaulted by Alvarez between 2009 and 2014. The alleged assaults happened in Oakland, Kalamazoo and Ingham counties.
Alvarez was charged in 2022. He pleaded guilty on Friday, Aug. 9, to two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. As part of his plea agreement, he’s expected to serve 12-25 years behind bars, followed by lifetime electronic monitoring.
Alvarez will be sentenced Sept. 16.
“I commend the courage and resilience of all of the women who came forward to report traumatic assaults perpetrated on them by Cameron Alvarez. Their courage revealed that Alvarez is a serial sexual offender who preyed upon female friends and acquaintances and then tried to excuse his behavior by blaming the victims and blaming his actions on his intoxication,” said Special Assistant Attorney General Erin House. “This conviction, lengthy prison sentence, and future lifetime electronic monitoring will help to protect the public from further victimization by Alvarez.”
