Wife of accused cop killer and sex offender each sentenced

51st Circuit Court News, as of Dec. 11, 2013

By Allison Scarbrough. MCP Correspondent.

Accused cop killer’s wife sentenced
LUDINGTON – Sarah Renee Knysz, 20, of 1844 10 Mile Rd., Luther, was sentenced to a minimum of two years in prison Dec. 10 for her involvement in the Sept. 9 shooting death of Michigan State Police Trooper Paul Butterfield.
Mason County 51st Circuit Judge Richard I. Cooper sentenced Knysz to a minimum of two years and a maximum of five years with the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) for one count of accessory after the fact and a concurrent term of 330 days for one count of unlawful driving away of a motor vehicle. She was given credit for 92 days served in jail.
She pleaded guilty to both counts Nov. 5. Knysz was also ordered to pay $266 in fines and costs. Restitution is held in abeyance for 90 days.

Mears man nets prison term for sex crime
LUDINGTON – George A. Coulier, Jr., 47, of 69 S. 56th Ave., Mears, was sentenced in 51st Circuit Court Dec. 5 to a minimum of two years and a maximum of six years with the MDOC for one count of possession of child sexually-abusive material and habitual offender, second conviction.
Coulier, who pleaded guilty to the sex charge in 2009, was given credit 363 days served in jail. The sentence runs concurrent with a 2009 case, his court records state. Coulier was also ordered to pay $428 in fines and costs.
In the other file, Coulier was ordered Dec. 5 to serve two concurrent prison terms of a minimum of one year and one month to a maximum of three years for interfering with an electronic communication device and domestic violence. He pleaded guilty to those two counts, as well as probation violation, August 11, 2009, court records state. The court also found him guilty of habitual offender, second conviction. He was given credit for 273 days served in jail. He was ordered to pay $481 in fines and costs. One count of third-offense domestic violence was dismissed.