Detroit NBC Affiliate Omits Illegal Immigration Status in Coverage of Suspect Facing Life for Child Sexual Assault

WDIV Report Leaves Out Suspect’s Prior Deportation and Police Chief’s Condemnation in High-Profile Shelby Township Case

Shelby Township, MI – Joel Quintana-Dominguez, a 32-year-old who was living in Shelby Township, has been bound over to Macomb County Circuit Court to face trial on three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a minor under 13.

The charges, classified as life felonies, stem from multiple alleged assaults that took place in 2024.

The case, which has drawn significant attention due to the severity of the accusations and the suspect’s immigration status, was reported by numerous media organizations and stated publicly by the Shelby Twp. Police Department in 2024 — but key details were notably absent from a recent report by WDIV, Detroit’s NBC affiliate.

Did the writer omit this information on purpose, or did the writer not do research into the history of the case and unknowingly not report the information? Having worked in a newsroom I understand how some people at times not do a proper job of reporting given the amount of news happening in a given day.

If it was intentionally omitted that is a major problem.

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On July 15, 2024, Shelby Township Police began investigating Quintana-Dominguez following a report of sexual assault against a minor. Detectives uncovered evidence suggesting the assaults occurred on multiple occasions within the township. Acting quickly, law enforcement located the suspect in a mobile home community in Macomb County after receiving indications he may have been tipped off and was preparing to flee the country. Quintana-Dominguez was arrested and, on July 19, arraigned in Shelby Township’s 41-A District Court by Magistrate Verploeg. His bond was set at $500,000 cash/surety.

In a statement following the arraignment, Shelby Township Police Chief Robert Shelide expressed outrage over the case: “I am disgusted and sickened after hearing the details of what Quintana-Dominguez is being charged with. I am also appalled to hear that he had been deported in the past and was able to find his way back into the United States. These types of actions from illegal aliens are harming the country.” Chief Shelide praised the detective bureau’s swift action in apprehending the suspect.

Court records confirm that Quintana-Dominguez had previously been deported and had re-entered the United States illegally—a critical detail that sheds light on the broader context of the case. On February 20, 2025, Shelby Township District Court transferred the case to Macomb County Circuit Court, with Quintana-Dominguez’s next hearing scheduled for March 6, 2025, at 8:30 a.m.

While WDIV reported on February 21, 2025, that Quintana-Dominguez faces trial for the alleged assaults, their coverage omitted several significant aspects of the story. The NBC affiliate failed to mention the suspect’s illegal immigration status, his prior deportation, the possibility he was attempting to flee the country, and the strong statements from Chief Shelide condemning both the alleged crimes and the suspect’s presence in the U.S. These omissions leave out key elements that have fueled local discussion about the case, particularly in light of ongoing national debates over immigration policy and public safety.

Did WDIV Intentionally omit this information, or did they just not do proper research on this particular story. Other media in Detroit and across the country did cover the full details of the story. I will update when I learn more.