Branch County Man Convicted of Sexually Assaulting Pre-Teen Girls, Furnishing Them with Methamphetamine

LANSING – Yesterday, Anthony Cuyler, 47, a Branch County resident extradited from Mexico in April 2024, was convicted by a Branch County jury of three counts of First-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and one count of Delivery of Methamphetamine to a Minor, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Cuyler was charged by the Branch County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in 2019 for sexually assaulting two minor children, girls aged 11 and 12 years old, and for providing them with methamphetamine.  

Cuyler fled and eluded authorities for years before being located in Mexico and returned to Branch County. The extradition of Cuyler from Mexico was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service as part of Operation Survivor Justice. The Operation is a partnership between the Michigan Department of Attorney General, local county prosecutors, and the U.S. Marshals Service to locate, apprehend, and return to Michigan fugitive offenders with outstanding sexual assault warrants.  

“Cold case sexual assaults are among the most challenging to prosecute,” Nessel said. “I commend the victims, prosecutors from my office, and our Operation Survivor Justice partners – including the U.S. Marshals Service, for locating, apprehending, and extraditing Mr. Cuyler to face these charges and Branch County Prosecuting Attorney Stempien for his efforts that led to a significant conviction in this heinous case. My office will continue to leverage these partnerships to pursue justice for sexual assault survivors.” 

The Department of Attorney General led the prosecution of this case. A sentencing date has not yet been set.