Jury convicts man in just two hours for rape of friend's daughter in Macomb County

A 46-year-old man from Macomb County has been convicted of three counts of rape of a young child of a longtime friend of his and could get 65 years in prison.

Shane Chupa was convicted last Friday on two counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of second degree CSC after the jury deliberated for just two hours.

According to prosecutor Eric Smith, Chupa was living with the victim and her father when she was between the ages of 8 and 9 years old in St. Clair Shores in 2011 when he took advantage of her on 

When she was 15, seven years after the sexual assault, she told a friend and an aunt what had happened to her. 

The case went to jury on Friday and returned just two hours later with a guilty verdict on all charges. The two first degree rape charges carry 25 years in prison each while the third degree carries 15 years in prison.

At the minimum, he'll spend at least 25 year sin prison, as the state mandatory minimum for first degree rape is 25 years.

"We want to thank the jury for trusting this brave young girl who found the courage to come forward," Smith said. "Sex crimes are often the most challenging in the office. As a Prosecutor you are dealing with the most challenging of circumstances. Our Child Abuse Unit, along with St. Clair Shores PD did an outstanding job to ensure this defendant is behind bars."