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Kent Co. deputies: 2 Kalamazoo men in custody for trafficking unhoused women

Kent County Sheriff's Office
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BYRON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXMI) — Kent County deputies arrested two Kalamazoo men on suspicion of human trafficking Wednesday.

A woman walked into a Bank of America in Byron Township before 1 p.m. informing the tellers she was being forced to create a bank account, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office says.

We’re told deputies showed up and found a vehicle with two men and another woman inside.

Deputies say the men, both 27, picked up two women experiencing homelessness in Kalamazoo and persuaded them to work for them in exchange for money. The men reportedly instructed the women to create accounts at a handful of West Michigan banks in the women’s names for reasons that are currently unknown.

KCSO says both men were taken into custody. Charges were later authorized for human trafficking, unlawful imprisonment and resisting and obstruction.