Robert Allen “Bob” Declercq is a former Morgan Stanley wealth manager, sailor, and sailing champion from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, who was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in May 2025 for the rape of his 3-year-old granddaughter. His new residence is currently intake at Jackson Prison before he gets “shipped” to wherever they send sex offenders in Michigan these days.
This brief press release acknowledges the conviction:
A reader sent me the following detailed Substack articles written by Phoebe Wall Howard.
https://phoebewallhoward.substack.com/p/judge-sentences-sailor-bob-declercq (Third in a series about the trial and conviction of Bob Declerqc).
https://phoebewallhoward.substack.com/p/robert-declercq-imprisoned-in-jackson (Dated October 4, 2025, confirming the Michigan AG’s dismissal of a second criminal case against Declerqc— in Mackinac County in the Eastern Upper Peninsula —for the rape of his daughter, the mother of the three-year-old survivor, in the interests of justice given the prior sentence and the impact on the mother who had to testify for hours in her daughter’s case.)
I confirmed the reader’s assertion that these Substack articles include substantial detail the the local news reports do not report, or just ignore entirely. These articles show how difficult it is for survivors who come forward. The press “coverage” includes very few details.
At Declerqc’s trial for raping his granddaughter, the young survivor had her dad read the following statement to the judge:
“Dear Judge, My name is […. ] I am nearly 9 years old. My grandpa Bob Declercq is a dangerous man. That is why I want you to please keep him in jail for the rest of his life. He should not get paroled. He will keep hurting kids like he hurt me.
Wall Howard points out that
The criminal conviction and questions related to the case inspired discussion among metro Detroit yacht clubs and U.S. Sailing leadership to establish and/or improve safety protocols for reporting.
The Declercq case has been monitored closely within the national sailing community. Declercq is the son of a Great Lakes sailing legend whose boat “Flying Buffalo” dominated Port Huron to Mackinac Island races for years. He was expelled by Bayview Yacht Club in May, after his conviction, and also removed from the Bayview Mackinac Race Hall of Fame.
He is appealing his conviction, claiming an unfair trial. I doubt his expulsion from Bayview and his removal from the Mackinac Race Hall of Fame are appealable. Tough break, sailor.
The reader who was good enough to forward these articles to me pointed out that this reminded him of the late Commodore Robert Van Hengel*, formerly of the St. Clair Yacht Club. Wonder if there are reciprocity memberships for any of the five infernal rivers?
*See beginning at page 16 of the PDF in this past post:
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Robert Declercq’s father, (the Great Lakes sailing legend who built the “Flying Buffalo”), was Maurice DeClercq. The winner of the annual Bayview to Mackinac Race receives the “Commodore Maurice G. Declercq Perpetual Trophy”.
As stated in the November 6, 1969 Grosse Pointe News, Maurice DeClercq was also a Past Commodore of the St. Clair Yacht Club.
He was also Past Commodore of the Bayview Yacht Club, and a Past Commodore of the Detroit Ice Yacht Club.
Just like Christopher Bush. He took his victims to Northern Michigan
OK, This is how corrections usually works in most states. After sentencing, the inmate is taken to classification. He is tested for IQ, risk of violence, past history, job and educational history and a number of other things. This can take months. In Michigan, there is not one prison where they send sex offenders. Also, it is usually not like the movies where the judge sentences the man to the toughest prison in the state. However, there was a case in PA where a juvenile judge was sending even minor cases to a youth home because he was getting a kick back.
Hi! I work for the Michigan Department of Corrections in Sexual Abuse Prevention Services. After the offender is processed through intake, he will be given a battery of assessments to determine what type of programming/treatment he will require. After this is determined, he will be transferred to the appropriate facility that provides those programs.
I hope this helps!
Also, For you non Michigan viewers. The Grosse Pointe areas are where the rich of the rich live. They make other wealthy areas look like the slums.
Bob
Grosse Pointe is where Frank Shelden was from.
The substack articles were very well written and included significant detail because the author requested much information directly from the court. Too bad the larger media outlets in the Detroit area did not wish (or refused) to do any extra work that involved a local public figure. From the court record:
Event Date
08/04/2025
Description
REQUEST AND NOT FOR FILM AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA COVERAGE OF COURT PRO
Comment
PHOEBE WALL HOWARD/SUBSTACK
I am also assuming the link to “Commodore Robert Van Hengel” was supposed to direct me to the third article in Marney Keenan’s series of the Gail Webster murder which states:
“Van Hengel was also an avid boater and proud of his role as commodore at the St. Clair Yacht Club”.
Yes, that’s the article; thanks for the heads-up about the broken link. I found a work-around.
When local media gives nothing much beyond name, age, charges, conviction, sentence, crimes like these cannot be put in the proper context. It allows people to look away; to minimize the victimization. The sexual conduct in this case was vaginal and anal penetration. The perpetrator was the grandparent. Statistically, guys like this have more than two victims (daughter, then granddaughter) in their long lives.
Those Substack articles fill out the picture and I agree–great job. Wake-up call to people in the area and beyond, even if the local news spends a nanosecond on it.
WTF, Oscoda County Circuit Court Judge Casandra Morse-Bills?! She is in hot water for allegedly texting a juror during Grosse Pointe sailor Robert Declercq’s sexual assault trial. The alleged text with a juror came just before deliberations, with Morse-Bills referring to the juror as the man “who everyone in town refers to as ‘Hoff,'” according to a whistleblower who broke her silence this week (December 16, 2025). Nice job giving this convicted sex offender grounds for a retrial (and laughing about it). Stay tuned.
Update, January 2026, thanks to a reader, who sent this work by Substack writer Phoebe Howard. She has carefully followed this case.
https://phoebewallhoward.substack.com/p/judge-in-declercq-case-says-alleged?publication_id=2658279&post_id=184659559&isFreemail=true&r=vgrmv&triedRedirect=true
I agree with the reader’s observation that this is yet another Grosse Pointe defendant who thinks he’s above the law. Any port in a storm, right “Bob”? Seems like it’s time to just accept your fate. This judge has your number and appellate judges will, too. But if you want to keep paying attorney fees, I’m sure your attorney will be happy to do your bidding.