Port Huron, Filion men arrested following child sex trafficking sting in Huron County

Two men from Port Huron man and Filion were arraigned on sex charges Thursday following a human trafficking sting operation.

Dennis Bales, 66, of Port Huron, and Dale Ignash, 70, of Filion, were both charged with child sexually abusive activity, using computers to commit a crime and accosting children for immoral purposes.

Bales is listed a sex offender on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry.

Bales' bond was amended to $200,000. Ignash was released on a $10,000 or 10% bond, according to the Huron County Sheriff Department.

Bales is scheduled for a probable cause hearing at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 9 and an examination hearing at 9 a.m. Sept. 16 in front of Huron County District Court Judge David Herrington. Ignash is scheduled for a probable cause hearing at 9 a.m. Sept. 9 and an examination hearing at 9 a.m. Sept. 16 in front of Herrington.

The men were arrested following an operation conducted by the Huron County Sheriff’s Office, the Sanilac County Sheriff’s Office, the Sanilac County Drug Task Force and the Bad Axe Police Department, the Tuscola County Sheriff Department, and two Genesee Human Oppression Strike Team members of the Genesee County Sheriff Department.

The suspected allegedly "shopped" internet sex and prostitution sites under the belief that they were communicating and arranging a meeting with an underage sex participant; however, they were actually communicating with members of the tri-county law enforcement team, the sheriff said.

When the suspects arrived at a location in Caseville Township, they found young deputy sheriff decoys. They acknowledged they wanted to have sex with an underaged boy, the department said.

A 68-year-old Lexington male acquaintance of the Port Huron suspect was released after being detained with possible charges pending, the department said.

Several items were also seized during the operation, such as cell phones, cash and vehicles.

Police said this operation comes after another Huron County sex sting was carried out on July 12, in which three men were arrested. Law enforcement also conducted another operation in Sanilac County in June 2021, which resulted in the arrest of one man.

"Fortunately, this incident did not involve actual teens forcibly being human trafficked for sex. However, all tri-county residents are asked to be on the lookout for this type of activity and report it to their sheriff’s office or local police. Potential victims, do not delay in making that call," Huron County Sheriff Kelly Hanson said in a press release. "Plans are again underway for another tri-county operation to occur in the future. Seekers of underage sex beware."

Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Port Huron man arrested following child sex trafficking sting in Huron County