SAULT STE. MARIE, MI-- Three people were arrested in a child trafficking sting in Chippewa County last Friday.
Officials with the Sheriff’s Office, Sault Ste. Marie Police Department and Soo Tribal Police went on the internet to locate adults who wanted to have sex with children. At the end of one day, police arrested three men.
Ben Simkin, 41, of the Soo thought he’d been talking to a 15-year-old girl.
Aaron Nowicki, 37, of Cheboygan is a non-practicing Catholic priest working in the Soo. He resigned from the Diocese of Marquette in 2019 because of sexual misconduct allegations. Nowicki believed he was chatting with a 15-year-old boy.
Micah Rickert, 23, a college student, thought he was talking online to a
14-year-old boy.
The suspects were arrested when they showed up at a Sault Ste. Marie motel to meet with the kids they’d spoken to.
All three men were arraigned on multiple felony charges Monday. They were released on $100,000 bonds. Each must wear a tether and has multiple restrictions, including no contact with children and no cell phones or computers.
Sheriff Chris Swanson and the Genessee County GHOST team aided in the investigation.
