MADISON HEIGHTS (WWJ) - Madison Heights police say they've busted a man who sold a woman for sex in an alleged case of human trafficking.
James Yun, 36, was taken into custody Tuesday at the Days Inn hotel on 14 Mile Rd., west of Stephenson Hwy. in Madison Heights.
Madison Heights Police Chief Corey Hanes said the department's Special Investigations Unit received tips about sex for sale at that location, and an investigation into alleged prostitution began.
"When they furthered their investigation they were able to connect the investigation to more evidence they were able to obtain," he said, "and it turned out that it was a human trafficking situation that it was going on."
The victim, a 33-year old woman from China in the U.S on a visa, was being held against her will and forced to commit sex acts, Hanes said.
Yun is charged by the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office with the following counts: human trafficking - forced labor, a 10-year felony; accepting cash from prostitution, a 20-year felony; transporting a person for prostitution, a 20-year felony, and keeping a house of prostitution, a 5-year felony.
He was arraigned in 43rd District Court Friday and given a $250,000 cash/surety bond. If he's released, Yun -- who police said is a U.S. citizen -- was ordered to surrender all passports and will be be not allowed to leave Michigan. He will also be required to wear a GPS tether, and he is not allowed to have any contact with the victim.
The chief acknowledged that some might be surprised this kind of criminal activity is happening in their own neighborhoods.
"We think it's a pretty large issue," he told WWJ's Sandra McNeill.
"It's absolutely occurring in places that, you know, you wouldn't necessarily think that that's what's happening," Hanes said. "But that's what's happening at several of our hotels in the city where were are now in the act of investigating several of these crimes."
