Human trafficking ring busted • Highland Park resolves $55M water debt • Arrest made in 1980 cold case murder

TUESDAY NEWS HIT - A human trafficking probe that spanned Metro Detroit cities led to charges against several women.

Xiaohong Ban, 52, was arrested inside an MGM Casino hotel room after police agencies working in several jurisdictions executed search warrants around Southeast Michigan. Two other female suspects, Shuying Ding, 41, and Lori Cai, 31, were charged in the case but have not been arrested.

A total of nine search warrants were conducted on Dec. 13, leading to the seizure of tens of thousands of dollars and dozens of electronic devices. The funds collected by the ring were sent overseas to China, said Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham.

The alleged prostitution ring operated out of massage parlors and spas in Macomb and Wayne County. The victims didn't have transportation or a place to live, and they were encouraged to solicit sexual acts from customers.

"They were prisoners in these spas," Wickersham said.

The sheriff said the investigation began after a tip came into the sheriff's office last year. As the probe continued, the breadth of the investigation also grew. It culminated with search warrants being executed at spa locations in Mount Clemens, Fraser, Shelby Township, and two businesses in Livonia.

Homes in Troy and Livonia were also raided, as well as two hotel rooms at MGM Casino in Detroit. 

Highland Park resolves $55M water debt

A relief package signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday will bail Highland Park out of a $55 million water debt.

Highland Park approved a deal brokered between them and the water regulator in October. The deal includes dismissing the Great Lakes Water Authority's lawsuit against Highland Park, as well as a $24 million judgment ordered by a court.

Under the deal, the state agrees to fund major fixes to the community's water systems while GLWA would get $30 million in grants for improvements.

The deal was signed by Gretchen Whitmer under a larger slice of legislation that funds education and wipes away school district debt in Inkster, Pontiac, Ypsilanti, as well as Benton Harbor and Muskegon Heights.

Massive pileup closes Telegraph for hours

The snow is gone now, but it was a different story last night.

Telegraph Road reopened Tuesday morning after a massive pileup near I-96 closed the road Monday night. It stayed closed for hours as crews worked to remove the dozens of damaged vehicles.

Some vehicles suffered minor damage, while others were crushed and had their airbags deployed.  Despite the vehicle damage, only minor injuries were reported. 

Hall of Shame: Don't badmouth this builder - he'll tell dad

Meet custom home builder Dave Nash. Some of Dave’s customers say he has an interesting customer service philosophy.

One couple said that when Dave knows he owes them money, he won’t agree to pay up, until they agree to shut up, and not talk about him.

And if you go to Dave's office to sort things out, good luck.

Numerous customers share their bad experiences with a builder who allegedly threatens to call his lawyer dad to sue them. Hear from them:

Arrest made in 1980 cold case murder

A Michigan man is facing charges stemming from a 1980 murder, thanks to advancements in DNA technology.

Douglas Laming, 70, of Fort Gratiot is facing charges in connection with the 1980 murder of 21-year-old Karen Umphrey. Her body was found by two hunters in the State Game Area in Beards Hills on the morning of Nov. 2, 1980.

The St. Clair County Sheriff's Office worked with Michigan State Police and Othram, a company specializing in forensic genetic genecology, to solve the crime.

"We received new information technology that could use the samples of DNA that was collected and match it with other known DNA samples on file," said Sheriff Matt King with the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office. "The DNA swab was collected as we had a search warrant for his DNA."

Investigators soon learned there was a match. 

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The snow is done falling, but the cold is still here. 

What else we're watching

1. A man is scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday in connection with the 2019 death of a woman found inside a burning Waterford Township home. A jury found Adonis Wilson guilty earlier this year.
2. Some Michigan taxpayers can expect more money when they get their refund next year under the amended Earned Income Tax Credit law. Find out if you qualify here.
3. Planning to travel this holiday season? TSA has tips to make your trip go smoothly.
4. A Detroit man has been arraigned following a police pursuit that ended with officers shooting him after he allegedly sped toward them in a stolen vehicle.
5. More than 30 employees at Michigan bookstores are among the 600 booksellers who received $500 bonuses from James Patterson.

Texas bill signed into law allowing state to arrest migrants, challenging federal authority

Texas Governor Greg Abbott and several other state leaders were on hand as the governor signed three new border security bills into law, including one which could open a challenge federal immigration law.

The signing in Brownsville included Senate Bill 3, which provides $1.5 billion for border security, Senate Bill 4, which makes illegal entry into Texas a state crime, and Senate Bill 4 from the Third Special Session, which increases the minimum sentence from two years to 10 years for smuggling immigrants or operating a stash house.

The bills were passed during recent sessions of the Texas Legislature.

The $1.5 billion provided by SB3 will be used to pay for approximately 100 miles of border barrier infrastructure. It will also provide an additional $40 million to fund overtime for Texas DPS troopers working border security operations.

Read more here.

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