2 days ago
Warren man accused of sending human trafficking messages while in custody at Oakland County Jail
A 33-year-old Warren, Michigan, man is facing three charges after he allegedly sent dozens of messages related to human trafficking while in custody at the Oakland County Jail.
Ryan Ramone Wafford is charged with two counts of human trafficking and one count of accepting earnings from prostitution, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said Saturday.
Investigators say Wafford used phones, tablets and video calls at the jail to send "dozens of messages that were consistent with communications regarding human trafficking/forced sex labor activities" while he was in custody. He was allegedly in jail for violating his probation.
The sheriff's office said he was arrested by a SWAT team on Friday at his home and that one of his victims and her child were there when he was apprehended.
Wafford was arraigned on Saturday and received a $250,000 cash bond, according to the sheriff's office.
"Even while in custody on unrelated charges, the suspect continued trying to direct and control others," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in the release. "Thanks to the persistence of our investigators, we were able to uncover this and rescue individuals from human trafficking."
If you know of a child who may have been a victim of exploitation, call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit the website.
