Ex-Saginaw County, MI, Firefighter Pleads No Contest to Sexual Abuse of Teens

SAGINAW, MI — A former Saginaw County firefighter has taken responsibility for the sexual abuse of teenage boys, whom he groomed with vape pens, drugs, and alcohol.

Ryan M. Schilling, 48, on Tuesday, March 10, appeared before Saginaw County Circuit Judge Darnell Jackson and pleaded no contest to two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct causing mental anguish and one count of creating child sexually abusive activity. The first charge is a life offense while the latter is a 20-year felony.

Schilling’s trial was to begin the morning he ended up pleading.

Prosecutors agreed to dismiss five more counts of criminal sexual conduct and two counts of accosting children for immoral purposes.

Jackson indicated he will sentence Schilling to 12 years in prison.

Defense attorney Alan A. Crawford said Schilling was pleading no contest rather than guilty for reasons of civil liability. By doing so, Schilling did not admit to having committed any crime. Judge Jackson relied on documents to find a factual basis to enter the convictions on the record.

During an April 2025 preliminary examination, two boys, ages 15 and 13, testified Schilling abused them over several years. Both said they had known Schilling since they were children as they all lived in separate residences within Neighbors of Parkwood Village Mobile Home Park in Burt. The older teen testified Schilling gave him vapes, alcohol, marijuana, Xanax, cocaine, and cash when he visited his residence.

Schilling, a former Albee Township firefighter, began sexually assaulting the boy when he was 11, the teen testified.

“I couldn’t tell no one because (Schilling said) people in jail would hurt him,” the witness testified. “He wasn’t built for jail, that’s what he’d tell me. He made me feel like I was in the wrong.”

Schilling threatened to kill himself if he was charged with a crime, the teen said. His house had guns “laying everywhere,” he said.

The teen further testified he started blackmailing Schilling to continue getting vapes.

The teen’s allegations came to light in early 2025 after he suffered a mental breakdown and required hospitalization. The teen gave his account during a January interview at the Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) Council. After the interview, the teen continued visiting Schilling’s residence, he said.

The 13-year-old boy testified he began going to Schilling’s for vapes when he was 7. Schilling started molesting him and told him not to tell anyone, the teen said. Schilling would “pay him” with vapes, marijuana, alcohol, and an iPhone, he said.

The teen estimated he sneaked out of his family’s house every night for two years to visit Schilling’s. Schilling assaulted him about four times a week, he said. He was often intoxicated from the vodka Schilling gave him, but his parents didn’t notice, he said.

“I just wanted to be cool and fit in with the older kids,” the witness said.

Both teens said they exchanged lewd photos with Schilling.

Schilling is to remain in custody until sentencing, the date of which is yet to be set.

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