Detroit man sentenced for sexual assault of girl in McDonald's bathroom
A man accused of sexually assaulting a 5-year-old girl in a McDonald's bathroom on Detroit's west side last October has been sentenced to probation.
On Tuesday, Joshua Joel-Eli Brown of Detroit was sentenced to five years of probation and must register as a sex offender. He must complete a sexual abuse prevention program and a psychological evaluation.
On June 26, Brown pleaded no contest to one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct of a person under 13.
Brown was sentenced to six months in jail, but received credit for the 249 days he had already served.
Detroit police say the alleged assault took place around 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 29, 2025, at the McDonald's in the 6800 block of Michigan Avenue.
According to authorities, a 5-year-old girl was inside the restaurant with her family and needed to use the bathroom. Wayne County prosecutors allege that after the girl entered the women's restroom, Brown entered a short while later and inappropriately touched her before leaving the restaurant.
As part of his sentencing, Brown was ordered to stay at least 500 feet away from the victim, have no unsupervised contact with minors and is prohibited from returning to the McDonald's location on Michigan Avenue where the assault occurred.
