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Officials: Duo Recruited Girls Into Sex Trafficking, Plied Them With Drugs

DETROIT (WWJ) - Two men accused of running a sex trafficking operation in metro Detroit have been arrested and charged with multiple crimes.

Kyren Faciane, 22, and Carlos Fox, 39, both of Detroit, were charged last month with two counts of commercial sex trafficking by force, two counts of prostitution -- accepting earnings, and one count of conducting a criminal enterprise. If convicted as charged, they face up to 20 years in prison.

Officials say an investigation led by the Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes task force allegedly revealed a sex trafficking operation being run since the beginning of 2018 in Southfield and Redford. Task force agents conducted an undercover operation in Southfield in February 2018, which led to the arrest of Faciane and Fox.

Upon further interviews with the alleged victims in this case, officials say it was discovered that the alleged prostitution operation was actually a human trafficking operation.

The victims were allegedly recruited, given highly addictive drugs and then threatened with force in order to stay, according to officials.

"Individuals who prey on and coerce young women into prostitution are despicable," Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said in a statement. "I want to thank my Department's Human Trafficking Unit that continues to tackle the horrible allegations of human trafficking again and again. This is a difficult, disturbing crime and they are dedicated to tackling it head on."

Both Faciane and Fox are currently in custody. A preliminary conference is expected to resume March 5.

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