A 30-year-old Warren man has pleaded guilty in Oakland County Circuit court to human trafficking a minor, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
James Madison-Cranford entered pleas to three counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, and one count each of human trafficking a minor for commercial sexual activity, accepting earnings from prostitution, transporting a person for the purpose of prostitution, conducting a criminal enterprise, assault by strangulation and assault with a dangerous weapon.
The charges were initially levied in Southfield.
Madison-Cranford in 2017 created an online account offering for sale sex with a minor, facilitated logistics for the “dates” for that minor, and took possession of the money paid to her, according to state officials. He also forced her to perform sex acts on himself and threatened or used violence to get the minor to submit, officials said.
He is already serving five to 40 years in prison for 2022 conviction for accepting earnings from prostitution in Madison Heights.
“The exploitation of a minor is an extremely abhorrent act, and I am relieved that traffickers are being held accountable,” Nessel said in a news release. “My office will continue to collaborate with our partners to combat human trafficking and support its victims.”
Madison-Cranford was convicted by plea in Macomb County Circuit Court in 2019 of assault by strangulation with intent to do great bodly harm and larceny in a building in Eastpointe. He was sentenced to two years probation, with the first 98 days in jail, and was “discharged without improvement” nearly three years later.
Oakland Judge Cheryl Matthews last Monday denied Madison-Cranford’s request to delay his trial, which was scheduled to start this Monday, according to court records.
Madison-Cranford’s sentencing is scheduled for June 25 by Matthews. Madison-Cranford will be required to register as a Sex Offender upon discharge from the Michigan Department of Corrections.
This case was initially investigated by the FBI’s Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes (SEMTEC) Task Force.