DETROIT – Charles Pugh is facing six counts of criminal sexual conduct.
The former Detroit City Council president was charged Wednesday in a case dating back to 2003. He was charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a person 13 through 15 years old.
Pugh was arraigned on the out-of-state warrant in front of Judge Eugene Guarino. Pugh waived extradition and was remanded to custody until his next court date, July 7.
Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy's office said the charges are connected to Pugh's alleged sexually inappropriate behavior with a 14-year-old boy between September 2003 and May 2004. The complainant is 27 years old now.
From the Prosecutor's Office:
In June 2003 the 14-year-old Detroit teen met Pugh for the first time when he went to the Fox2 news station with a theater group to perform. At that time Pugh was working as a reporter and anchor at the station. The complainant approached Pugh about an internship and they exchanged phone numbers. The teen did not work as an intern at Fox2, but during the summer of 2003, at Pugh’s invitation the teen went to Pugh’s Detroit apartment several times. Pugh and the complainant kept in touch by phone, and text messages. It is alleged that Pugh had inappropriate sexual contact with the complainant at his home in Detroit from September 2003 through May 2004. The complainant was 14 and 15 years of age at the time of the alleged contact. The specific facts and evidence in the case will be presented in court at the preliminary examination.
Previous civil charges
Pugh and the Detroit school district were sued by a former student who said his civil rights were violated and claimed Pugh was given extraordinary access to boys who were being mentored at Douglass Academy in 2012.
In November, a jury found Pugh not liable for sexual harassment but decided he did cause emotional distress for the teen and pressured him to create a sexual video. The jury also found Pugh liable of sexual battery.
Pugh was not charged criminally in connection to those allegations.
Pugh arrested in New York City
Charles Pugh was arrested Thursday morning at his home in New York.
Once the second most powerful political figure in Detroit... arrested this AM in Harlem. #CharlesPugh @PIX11News pic.twitter.com/JMwvraxdG2
— Mario Diaz (@KPRC2Mario) June 23, 2016
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