‘Classic case’: Human trafficking charges in bank scheme
BYRON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Two men are facing human trafficking charges after deputies say they forced a woman to go into a bank and open an account.
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office says it happened just before 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Bank of America on the corner of 68th Street and South Division Avenue in Byron Township.
KCSO: Men forced women to open bank accounts
A woman told bank tellers that she was being forced to open a bank account, the sheriff’s office says.
Deputies say they found two men in a car, along with a second woman. Both women were homeless and being held against their will, according to Undersheriff Chuck DeWitt.
Darvionce Smith and Devaughntre Bates are facing human trafficking and unlawful imprisonment charges.
“It was a classic case, if you will, of human trafficking. There was a female inside trying to open a bank account against her will as a result of being held captive,” DeWitt said.
DeWitt says the courage of the victim to tell the bank employees what was happening was crucial.
“Fortunately, the bank staff listened and they responded appropriately, very well, and they assured to get the resources there to help them out,” DeWitt said.
Deputies say the two men from Kalamazoo found two women who were homeless in Kalamazoo with a promise to work for them and earn money.
“The one individual, the one female, had been with these two for the past month approximately,” DeWitt said. “The other female had just recently been located, but she was also being subjected to the same type of things.”
DeWitt says the men were withholding the victims’ identification.
“They’re able to identify what those unmet needs are and then take something with that individual and hold it against their will,” DeWitt said.
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker says people who are homeless are often exploited by criminals.
“It’s concerning anytime you see anybody exploited, be it homeless or the elderly or your children for that matter,” Becker said. “We have seen people try and take advantage of people in that situation over a period of time. Can I say we’ve seen a rise in it? No, but it’s maybe a constant thing we see on a fairly regular basis.”
Dewitt says many human trafficking cases are even harder to investigate.
“We had the victim who was very firm in the conviction that, ‘Hey, I’m being taken advantage of here,'” DeWitt said. “Where oftentimes, we don’t always have that, because they are so reliant on the suspects and their ability to take care of them.”
The Kent County Sheriff’s Office says it appears the women had already been forced to open several accounts at West Michigan banks. The office is still investigating what the accounts were being used for.
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