MARSHALL, MI (WNWN/WTVB) – A Battle Creek man was taken into custody Monday as part of a investigation into human trafficking operations that target children.
Calhoun County Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives teamed up with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office Genesee Human Oppression Strike Team (GHOST) during the investigation.
The two agencies monitored several different social media source’s online communications with many individuals trying to arrange sex with children.
During the operation, a 29-year-old suspect chatted with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl.
Calhoun County Sheriff Steve Hinkley stated in a department news release that the man then came to a location in the City of Marshall with the intent of having sex with who thought was the teenage girl. But as it turns out, he was communicating with a Calhoun County Sheriff’s Deputy. The suspect was immediately taken into custody at the location.
The suspect was identified as Robert Gray who was discharged from prison on October 17. His previous criminal charges include second degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under the age of 13.
He was booked into the Calhoun County Jail on charges of “Soliciting a Minor for Immoral Purposes” and “Using a Computer to Commit a Crime.”
Law enforcement authorities are reminding parents to have a solid interaction in their child’s life and discuss social media interactions with their children. If you think your child is being groomed through social media for sex or human trafficking, you should call your local police department immediately.
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