Update: Corrected the date of the defendant’s preliminary exam.  

CASSOPOLIS — A former Southwestern Michigan College professor is facing several counts of criminal sexual conduct, on suspicions of that he took advantage of a former student who was coming to him for counseling.

George Field, 57, of Dowagiac, was arraigned in Cass County District Court Wednesday afternoon, where he was charged with the following crimes:

• First-degree criminal sexual conduct, punishable by up to life in prison

• Second-degree criminal sexual conduct, punishable by up to 15 years in prison

• Practicing psychology/counseling without a license, punishable by up to four years in prison

• Two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, punishable by up to two years in prison

District Court Judge Stacey Rentfrow imposed a bond of $200,000 cash or surety on the defendant. She also ordered that he have no contact with the victim, should he be bonded out of Cass County Jail, where he is currently being lodged.

Field is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 20-year-old former student of the community college, between September 2015 and June 2016.

At the time of the offenses, Field was an instructor at school, who also practiced out of the Family Center psychiatric office in Dowagiac. Field was providing counseling to the victim at the office when he began “grooming” the woman, said Cass County Victor Fitz.

“He knew all about her,” Fitz said. “He knew her secrets, and he knew her concerns in regards to her parents, as well as society as a whole.”

The prosecutor said his office believes that the defendant began to take advantage of the victim’s vulnerabilities in order to victimize.

Eventually, he began kissing and groping the victim during their sessions at the practice, before he took her over to his residence located next to the office on M-51, where they engaged in intercourse on at least three or more occasions, Fitz said.

At the time, Field did not possess a license to practice psychology, Fitz said.

“She [the victim] was extremely vunerable,” Fitz reiterated. “She was baring her heart out to this man, and he took terrible advantage of that. She was in a vulnerable emotional state, and he used that, not to help her, but to make her the victim of his own fantasies.”

Around two weeks ago, the victim reported the incident to officials at SMC, who advised her to tell the police what had happened. She then contacted the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, which began investigating the issue.

As a result of their subsequent search of Field’s residence, police charged Field with possession of marijuana, which the suspect pleaded not guilty to during an arraignment last week. He bonded out of jail for that charge, but was arrested Wednesday morning for the CSC charges.

Through the investigation, police believe that Field may have victimized others as well, Fitz said.

SMC officials conducted a subsequent internal investigation into Field’s alleged sexual misconduct, which concluded Monday, said SMC President David Mathews. The college decided to terminate Field’s employment following the conclusion of the investigation, based on what they found to be violations of its policies.

“We have zero tolerance for instructors who violate our student safety policies,” Mathews said.

Field had been employed at Southwestern Michigan College for around five years, first as a part-time instructor before he was recently hired on as a full-time faculty member, Mathews said.

The allegations were the first reported misconduct brought against the instructor during his stint with the college — he had received great evaluations from students, and was a finalist in 2016 for the school’s part-time instructor of the year award, Mathews said.

“It seemed out of character, but the more we dug into our investigation, from our end, there was an undeniable violation of college policy,” the school president said.

Mathews added that the alleged offenses all took place off campus.

Field is due again in court at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, for a pre-trial conference, and at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, for a preliminary exam.

People with any information about this case are asked to contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at (269) 445-2481 and ask for Capt. Tom Jacobs.