A Detroit man is charged with human trafficking, sexual assault, torture, and prostituting at least two women in Madison Heights.
Police said one of the women, 39, was homeless when suspect Kevin Johnson, 31, of Detroit took her in and forced her to work as a prostitute until she ended up in the hospital.
Johnson, 31, is jailed on $750,000 cash bond set at his arraignment Friday before Madison Heights 43rd District Magistrate Michael Mitchell.
The suspect met the woman, 39, earlier this year and befriended her, police said.
“He kind of gave her a place to stay, then started getting her ‘dates’ and pimping her out and human trafficking her,” said Madison Height police Lt. David Koehler.
One of the places the suspect had the women engage in prostitution was the Red Roof Inn in Madison Heights, 32511 Concord, Dr., police said.
“He was operating out of the Red Roof Inn, but there may have been other places,” Koehler said. “They moved from place to place. We believe other women may have been involved. We don’t have any specifics yet and the investigation is ongoing.”
Madison Heights police are working with Michigan State Police and the federal Department of Homeland Security on the investigation.
Johnson is accused of sexually assaulting one of the women at least twice in addition to a nonsexual physical assault on her, police said.
Police started their investigation June 2, after the 39-year-old woman was hospitalized with injuries as a result of human trafficking, Koehler said.
“The report was generated by the hospital and we were contacted by the hospital at her request,” he said.
Officers arrested Johnson on June 4 in Eastpointe, police said, and he is not cooperating with investigators.
Three of the charges against him – torture and two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct – are punishable by up to life in prison.
The other charges include two counts of transporting a person for prostitution, and two counts of accepting earnings from prostitution, each a 20-year felony.
Johnson is also charged with two counts of operating a human trafficking enterprise causing injury, each a 15-year felony; and a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery.
The suspect has a criminal history that includes time in prison starting nine years ago, according to Michigan Department of Corrections records.
His past convictions mainly involved larcenies and burglaries of motor vehicles, along with fleeing police, possession of burglary tools, and receiving and concealing stolen property.
Johnson is set to appear before Madison Heights 43rd District Judge Keith Hunt at 8 a.m. June 19 for a probable cause conference.
Madison Heights police are asking anyone with information about Johnson’s connections to human trafficking to contact police Lt. David Koehler at 248-837-2732, or at 248-585-2100.
Anyone who is a victim or knows a victim of human trafficking is urged to contact the Common Ground Human Trafficking Hotline at 248-451-2622.