Clinton Township man accused of using violence to force Saginaw woman into prostitution
Marcell Joseph (Oakland County Jail)
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - After his arrest last week in Madison Heights, a Clinton Township man is facing human trafficking charges for allegedly forcing a woman into sex trafficking.
Marcell Davon Joseph, 24, was charged over the weekend with human trafficking enterprise resulting in injury, prostitution - transporting, prostitution - accepting earnings, and second-offense domestic violence.
What we know:
According to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, Joseph allegedly assaulted a 28-year-old Saginaw woman and forced her into sex acts with other men for money. He then refused to give the victim the money.
He was arrested March 21 by the Oakland County Human Trafficking Task Force, arraigned the following day, and given a $150,000 cash/surety bond.
Southfield woman charged with conducting prostitution at massage parlor
The 61-year-old suspect was in the middle of servicing a male client when police executed a search warrant at the business in February.
Joseph has previous felony convictions for larceny, resisting police, and unarmed robbery. If convicted of either prostitution charge, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
What we don't know:
It is unknown if the Saginaw woman was Joseph's only victim or if there were other victims.
What they're saying:
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard praised those in law enforcement that are working to put a stop to human trafficking.
"I am proud of these cooperative efforts with our law enforcement partners that are finding and rescuing people from a torturous situation," he said. "We look forward to holding anyone that traffics another human being fully accountable for their actions."
What you can do:
The sheriff provided resources for people who are victims of human trafficking in the county or know victims:
Common Ground Human Trafficking Hotline - 248-451-2622
Oakland County Human Trafficking Task Force - 248-240-3166
Sheriff's office dispatch - 248-858-4950
The Source: Information in this story is from the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.