WARREN, Mich. – An operation that officials said was to combat human trafficking led to 46 arrests in Warren.
Warren police arrested 25 women and 21 men during a three day sweep and charged them with a total of 103 crimes, Commissioner Bill Dwyer said.
Police said there’s no evidence that any of the people involved were being held against their will, but the women arrested are still being viewed as victims. Officials said the women could lead to cases that are considered human trafficking.
Operation Crusade II
This sting, labelled Operation Crusade II, was the second phase of a Warren police focus on human trafficking, prostitution, pandering and illegal sale of drugs. There are 26 officers on the task force, officials said. The first phase -- from May 14-16 -- resulted in the arrest of 17 women and 18 men, Dwyer said. Officials charged them with a total of 30 felonies and 45 misdemeanors.
On Friday, police announced 31 felonies and 72 misdemeanors have been handed down from phase two of the operation. The 46 people taken into custody range in age from 25 to 60 years old, Dwyer said. He also said the prostitutes range in age from 18 to 60 years old.
Dwyer said police arrested people from Sterling Heights, Royal Oak, Troy, Clarkston, Garden City, Grosse Pointe, Macomb, East Lansing and Manistique, Michigan. Among those arrested was a State Farm insurance agent, an OnStar technician, a Bank of America employee and a student from East Lansing, according to authorities.
Police said three victims of human trafficking were identified Friday morning. Three victims identified during the May sting have been helping police with other areas of the investigation, Dwyer said.
Police identify 46 people charged
- Dewaylia Bogan is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Azhia Bowen is charged with prostitution, using a computer to commit a crime and driving with a suspended license.
- Douglas Brauschweig is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Katie Broeker is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Brijanna Butler is charged with prostitution and transporting a prostitute.
- Kathina Carey is charged with prostitution, house of prostitution, transporting a prostitute and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Heather Campbell is charged with possession of narcotics equipment.
- Danielle Chojnacki is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Michael Clemens is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Tameka Davis is charged with prostitution, using a computer to commit a crime and house of prostitution.
- Russell Derose is charged with transporting a prostitute.
- Alisha Detoy is charged with possession of cocaine and possession of heroin.
- Robert Drake is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Frank Engle is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Michael Fouche is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Natasha Giangrosso is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Robin Gilliam is charged with transporting a prostitute and driving with a suspended license.
- Iretha Gist was arrested on a felony warrant for methamphetamine.
- James Goss is charged with transporting a prostitute.
- Diamond Harris is charged with prostitution, transporting a prostitute and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Evan Kennedy is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Mirsolaw Kustrzyk is charged with soliciting prostitution and carrying a firearm.
- Anthony Lorenzo Johnson is charged with transporting a prostitute.
- Tracy Mauldin is charged with prostitution and house of prostitution.
- Cortez McKinney is charged with possession of analogues.
- Jeffrey Morris is charged with transporting a prostitute and possession of crack.
- Rachel Morris is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Dawn Moss is charged with prostitution, using a computer to commit and crime and a crack charge.
- Bryttany Newsome is charged with prostitution, using a computer to commit a crime and possession of methamphetamine.
- Scott Penive is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Antonia Perkins is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Nazia Price-Blackmon is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- William James Robinson is charged with possession of crack cocaine and possession of analogues.
- Keri Sanders is charged with prostitution, delivering cocaine and felony warrants.
- Benedict Santiago is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Jessica Sardo is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Kandice Saucedo is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Mark Shaman is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Paul Shively is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Dennis Slagle is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Lakisha Turner is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Paulina Valley is charged with prostitution, using a computer to commit a crime and possession of cocaine.
- Viorel Vesa is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Dominique Walker is charged with prostitution and using a computer to commit a crime.
- Devin White is charged with soliciting prostitution.
- Randolph Wilson is charged with possession of crack cocaine.
Alisha Detoy
Dwyer explains charges
“Many will say that prostitution is a victim-less crime," Dwyer said. "It’s not. These people here were young girls. They were addicted by pimps and became prostitutes, and that’s the way it’s been for decades. Today we have human trafficking. We have young people again forced into prostitution and drug addiction.”
The women are still being charged, however, because prostitution is against the law, Dwyer said.
“Prostitution, No. 1, is illegal," Dwyer said. "It brings an environment to the city that’s not welcome.”
He said as of Friday morning, none of the prostitutes arrested have admitted to being victims of human trafficking, but this phase of Operation Crusade II isn’t over.
“We are not going to tolerate any form of crime," Warren Mayor Jim Fouts said. “This is not the end of the crackdown, whether it be prostitution or drugs.”
Fouts said one of the striking aspects of the operation is that many of the prostitutes are selling drugs and they themselves have become addicted. He said Warren is the leader in Metro Detroit when it comes to fighting drugs, prostitution and other crimes.
“Generally during the holidays, I get calls from Warren residents who complain to me that they have relatives staying in the nearby hotel, and that hotel is infested with prostitutes or they’ve been approached by a prostitute, or maybe bedbugs or something related to that," Fouts said.
Lead detective touches on operation
Warren police Detective Craig Bankowski is leading the investigation.
“We go into it with specific targets as well as unknown targets," Bankowski said.
He said the crimes are being carried out at hotels and residences -- including multi-family apartment complexes. He said cooperation from hotel management has helped Warren police during the operation.
Much of the advertising for prostitution is still happening online or through apps on smart devices, Bankowski said.
Like Dwyer, he reiterated that this phase of the operation has not been completed.
“Just because there’s no one who came forward at this point in initial interviews disclosing that they’re victims of (human trafficking) -- we still have to go through all the evidence, and with or without their cooperation, we’ll investigate any others that are involved and/or responsible," Bankowski said.