MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has announced charges in a human trafficking case that spread from Madison Heights throughout Oakland County and into other areas of metro Detroit.
Lavonte Sampson of Harper Woods and Chrystal Forgays of Warren are accused of operating what is being called a human trafficking enterprise.
“I know that many people think human trafficking is something that only happens somewhere else; they think of women held against their will in a run-down neighborhood or some foreign country. Let me be quite clear that that image is not accurate. This crime is happening right here in Oakland County. These are cases in which we have teenage women -- no, teenage girls -- being trafficked into prostitution -- children exploited in the worst way imaginable - by adults who trade their bodies for cash,” said McDonald in a news release.
In all seven charges have been authorized, including one count of human trafficking of a minor for commercial sexual activity; one count of conducting a criminal enterprise; two counts of transportation of another person for purpose of prostitution; one count of accepting earnings from prostitution; one count of human trafficking enterprise; and one count of computer crime.
Both Sampson and Forgays were arrested by the Detroit Police Department on February 1 and have been arraigned in 43rd District Court in Madison Heights. Sampson was given a $300,000 cash bond conditioned on no-contact with victims, witnesses, or co-defendants, as well as GPS monitoring. Forgays was given a $250,000 cash bond with the same conditions.
A third suspect, Carl Lorenzo Perkins is currently wanted in connection with the case.
He is described as 5’10” and 160lb Black male, whose last known location was in Detroit. Anyone with information on his current location is asked to contact the Madison Heights Police Department at (248) 585-2100.
Anyone who is a victim of human trafficking needs help can find it here: https://www.safehousecenter.org/
