ALLEGAN, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on Tuesday, March 29, that second of two defendants who pleaded guilty to felony human trafficking will serve prison time.
The second defendant, Vanessa Phillips, pleaded guilty along with Robert Grigsby, to one count of human trafficking, forced labor resulting in commercial sexual activity. Grigsby was sentenced earlier this month.
“My office will continue to investigate and hold accountable anyone who tries to exploit vulnerable individuals for profit,” said Nessel. “We appreciate our local partnerships with agencies like the Wayland Police Department that make it possible to pursue these cases.”
Allegan County Circuit Court Judge Margaret Bakker Monday morning sentenced Phillips to prison for 38 months to 15 years, which includes a credit of 147 days already served.
The Department of the Attorney General worked alongside the Wayland Police Department last year to charge the two suspects for running a criminal enterprise to include prostitution and sex trafficking of numerous women in Grigsby’s home in Wayland, and other locations throughout the greater Grand Rapids area.
“Through law enforcement collaboration, criminal enterprises that choose to set up in small towns can still be brought to justice,” said Wayland Police Chief Mark Garnsey. “I believe this is the result the citizens of Wayland have been waiting for. Thanks to the Human Trafficking Task Force, consisting of the Department of Attorney General, Michigan State Police and the FBI,we were able to bring a great resolution to this case.”
Wayland police first began investigating in October of 2018.
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