Detroit police seek victims of child day care worker

Aug. 25--Detroit police are seeking possible victims of a child molester suspect who worked recently at day care centers in Oakland and Macomb counties.

Michael Pankey, 37, who was formerly known as Michael Leverette, is in federal custody on child pornography charges. He is also awaiting trial on charges of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl he was babysitting, police said.

According to a Detroit Police news release, Pankey worked at Rainbow Child Care Center (formerly Little Munchkins / Cribs 2 Crayons) in Sterling Heights from October 2015 to January 2016.

Read more:

He also worked at Gurukul Montessori Academy in Troy from January 2016 to September 2016; the Lowry day care center at Oakland University from September 2016 to December 2016; and the North Hills Child Care Center in Troy in December 2016.

Pankey is awaiting trial in Detroit on five counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of indecent exposure and three counts of possession of sexually explicit material, according to police.

Earlier this month, Pankey was also hit with federal charges of producing and possessing child pornography.

He has been detained pending his federal trial, court records show.

Pankey's attorney in that case, Lisa B. Kirsch Satawa, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Anyone whose child may have had contact with Pankey is asked to call the Detroit Police Sex Crimes Unit at 313-596-1958.

Contact Ann Zaniewski: azaniewski@freepress.com

___

(c)2017 the Detroit Free Press

Visit the Detroit Free Press at www.freep.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.