HOUGHTON, MI— The Houghton County Sheriff's Office has released the following information:
The Houghton County Sheriff’s Office hosted coalition partners of the U.P. HOST (Human Oppression Strike Team) and set forth operations to identify and arrest consumers of child sex crimes in Houghton County.
The agencies involved in the investigations included Houghton County Sheriff Josh Saaranen and personnel, Keweenaw County Sheriff Curt Pennala and personnel, Baraga County Sheriff Joseph Brogan and personnel, Ontonagon County Sheriff Dale Rantala and personnel, Iron River Police Chief Curt Harrington, and the FBI.
A total of three male adults between the ages of 21-34 chatted with undercover police agents posing as minors and showed up at a hotel with payment in exchange for sex with a minor.
The three suspects that were taken into custody are:
- Jeffrey David Redd, age 34, of Laurium, MI.
- Kahleb Thorsson Senia-Wicks, age 21, of Calumet, MI.
- Jason Wesley Davis, age 27, of Calumet, MI.
Each of the three suspects were subsequently charged by the Houghton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with the following three offenses:
- Child Sexually Abusive Activity, a felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or $100,000. Conviction of this offense also carries requirements to register as a sex offender under the Michigan Sex Offender Registration Act.
- Use of a Computer to Commit Child Sexually Abusive Activity, a felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or $20,000. This charge carries with it the possibility of a consecutive sentence that is within the discretion of the sentencing court.
- Accosting a Child for Immoral Purposes, a felony with a maximum penalty of 4 years in prison and/or $4,000. Conviction of this offense also carries requirements to register as a sex offender under the Michigan Sex Offender Registration Act.
Jeffrey David Redd was additionally charged a fourth criminal offense for Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Cocaine, felonies with a maximum of 10 years in prison and up to $25,000.
Jason Wesley Davis, a registered sex offender who moved to Calumet, MI from Wisconsin just six months ago, was previously charged with child enticement in Marathon County trying to meet up with a 15-year-old girl for sex.
Operational expenses were grant funded through the task force partnership with O.U.R. Operation Underground Railroad Domestic Services.
Sheriff Josh Saaranen “Appreciates the collaboration between the four-county sheriffs, UPHTTF and the UPHOST team. We're working together to not only take predators into custody but to also make sure that there are strong avenues for individuals and victims to receive advocacy and help."
If you or a loved one have been harmed by any one of these three males, please come forward and contact the Houghton County Sheriff Office at (906) 482-0055 to help file a criminal complaint and end the sexual harm.
The U.P. HOST team was created by the Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force (UPHTTF), a nonprofit NGO that set forth the following goal to investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases at the local, state, and federal levels.
A 24/7 confidential helpline operated by the UPHTTF is available to the public. For advocacy and help, call (906) 299-9243. To find more information in ways you can help support the mission go to Home – Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force (upht123.org).
