A Metro Detroit man has been charged in connection with the human trafficking of a Saginaw woman, officials said.
Marcell Davon Joseph, 24, of Clinton Township, has been charged with human trafficking enterprise resulting in injury, prostitution/transporting, prostitution/accepting earnings and domestic violence, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of either of the prostitution charges.
Joseph was arrested in Madison Heights on Friday, March 21, after he allegedly trafficked a 28-year-old Saginaw woman for prostitution.
He is accused of physically assaulting the woman multiple times and forcing her into sex acts with multiple men for money, according to the sheriff’s office. The victim wasn’t given any of the money.
Joseph was arraigned on Saturday, March 22, and given a $150,00 cash/surety bond.
He is scheduled to appear in court again on April 2 for a probable cause conference.
Joseph was previously convicted of larceny, resisting an officer and unarmed robbery on his record.
The sheriff’s office says Joseph is the second person to be arrested by the Oakland County Human Trafficking Task Force.
The first, Damon Napier, 61, of Wayne County, was arrested in Hazel Park in January and charged with human trafficking enterprise resulting in injury and third-degree criminal sexual conduct.
“I am proud of these cooperative efforts with our law enforcement partners that are finding and rescuing people from a torturous situation,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. “We look forward to holding anyone that traffics another human being fully accountable for their actions.”
Anyone who is a victim or knows a victim of human trafficking is urged to contact Common Ground Human Trafficking Crisis Hotline at 248-451-2622, the Oakland County Human Trafficking Task Force at 248-240-3166 or the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch at 248-858-4950.
