Jury Awards $250K To Student In Sexual Grooming Lawsuit Against Charles Pugh

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A jury has awarded $250,000 to a young man who accused a former Detroit City Council member of sexually harassing him while he was in office.

The jury found that Charles Pugh had inflicted emotional distress when he urged the former student to make a sexually explicit video.

Pugh was also found liable Monday on another claim, while a sexual harassment allegation was decided in his favor.

The young man, now 20, says Pugh was making sexual advances while serving as his mentor at Douglass Academy in 2012.

The Detroit school district was also part of the lawsuit but settled last week for $350,000.

The lawsuit claims Pugh was given extraordinary access to boys whom he met at Fredrick Douglass Academy in 2012 and that the school didn't do enough to protect the kids. The former student said Pugh was grooming him for sex, with explicit text messages obtained by police expected to be presented as evidence.

Among those called to testify may be a young man who claims Pughmade sexual advances toward him and watched gay porn in his presence as he worked for an intern for him a few years ago.

Pugh, who denies any wrongdoing, resigned from the Detroit City Council in 2013. Months later, a TV reporter found him living in New York City where he worked at a restaurant.

He did not attend the civil trial.

Pugh has not been charged with a crime.

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