Man accused of murdering ex-girlfriend pleads guilty in separate sexual assault case

PAW PAW, Michigan — A Michigan man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend in Kalamazoo has pleaded guilty in a separate sexual assault case.

In exchange for his guilty plea to fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, a third-degree charge against 28-year-old Jeffrey Kucharski was dismissed, according to court documents obtained by News Channel 3 on Tuesday.

Kucharski was previously accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl 10 years before he allegedly stabbed 28-year-old Taylor Dragicevich to death.

A woman testified in court on November 7, 2023, saying Kucharski took her to his house while his family was away.

He showed her his bedroom, which had bullet holes in the walls, and took her to the basement, forcing her to watch pornography.

“He dug his nails into my eyes and held my eyelids open,” she said. “I begged him to stop.

Kucharski then ripped her pants and sexually assaulted the woman, putting her in wrestling positions she could not get out of.

“I was too scared to move,” she said. “I begged him to stop.”

Kucharski is expected back in Van Buren County Circuit Court on July 8 for sentencing.

In addition, Kucharski is accused of stabbing Dragicevich to death outside her mother’s apartment in May 2023.

The insanity defense in Kucharski’s case was dropped on April 2, according to his attorneys.

A reason for the dismissal was not disclosed.