The sister-in-law of Lee Chatfield has been identified as the woman who accused the ex-Michigan House Speaker of multiple sexual assaults.
Rebekah Chatfield, now 26 and married to Lee’s younger brother, has filed a criminal complaint against the married former lawmaker, alleging that he began sexually abusing her when she was 15 years old. Rebekah claims the assaults, which started while she was a student at Gaylord Northern Michigan Baptist Bible Church in 2010, continued through last year.
“He destroyed me, and has controlled my life since I was 15-16, the past 10-11 years,” she told local outlet Bridge Michigan. “And I know the only way to get justice for this is to come forward and to file a criminal (complaint) against him.”
Lee was a young teacher at the Christian Academy where the assaults took place.
“I had a lot of family stuff going on in my life. My dad was a recovering alcoholic, and so I believe that Lee used those (circumstances) against me and helped take advantage of me. So he would manipulate me, he would mess with my emotions.”
Lee, who was elected in 2014, was the House Speaker in 2019 and 2020, on Friday denied claims he sexually abused his sister-in-law but admitted to an affair.
“Their affair lasted for years, but they were both consenting adults,” attorney Mary Chartier said of the allegations. “Mr. Chatfield deeply regrets the decisions he has made. It has caused great pain to his wife and family, and they are working through this together. But he did not assault this woman in any manner during their years-long adult relationship. He intends to vigorously fight these false claims.”
