Two face trafficking charges after Tribal girl found in car – The Morning Sun

Two downstate men potentially face long prison sentences from an array of human trafficking charges after a juvenile member of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe was found in their car on May 20.

The child, who was at the time identified as an Endangered Missing Juvenile, has since been reunited with her family.

Steffan Alexander Harris, 28, was arraigned Monday in Inkster District Court on five separate charges, several of which carry 20-year sentences, related to human trafficking for prostitution, according to a Tweet from the Michigan State Police Metro South unit.

He was also placed on notice that he will be sentenced as a fourth-time habitual offender, which could add an additional 15 years to whatever sentence he receives. He was also given a $100,000 bond. It is not immediately clear whether he is free or still lodged.

A second man implicated during the May traffic stop is expected to get charged with even more crimes on Friday. The Twitter thread from the MSP Metro South didn't identify him, but said that he is currently in prison.

The Michigan State Police were operating in Inkster as part of a statewide program wherein the agency performs directed patrols and investigations in places experiencing a spike in crime.

The tweets don't provide information about the nature of the contact between the troopers and the suspects, whether it was a routine traffic stop or part of a broader investigation.

Harris was charged with one count of human trafficking a minor for commercial sexual activity; prostitution/transporting a person, a 20-year felony; prostitution/accepting earnings, a 20-year felony; human trafficking enterprise causing injury, a 15-year felony; and child sexually abusive activity, aggravated distributing or promoting, a four-year felony.

The second man is expected to face the same charges but an additional charge for possession of a controlled substance, an additional charge for identity theft and an additional charge for possession of a fraudulent financial device.