Michigan prosecutor charged with hiring prostitutes
LANSING, Mich. -- A prosecutor who has been the top law enforcer in Michigan's capital area for nearly 20 years was charged Monday in three counties with hiring prostitutes and committing other related crimes.
The case against Stuart Dunnings III developed from tips during a federal human-trafficking investigation, state Attorney General Bill Schuette said.
The 63-year-old Dunnings, a Democrat, is the elected prosecutor in Ingham County. He was charged with using the services of prostitutes - a 93-day misdemeanor - in Ingham, Clinton and Ionia counties hundreds of times between 2010 and 2015.
Dunnings also was charged with pandering - enticing a woman to become a prostitute, a 20-year felony - and willful neglect of duty. He was arrested at a local coffee shop, lodged at the Ingham County jail and was scheduled to be arraigned Monday afternoon. There was no immediate comment from his office.
"A member of law enforcement was using the services of women who were being trafficked," Schuette said at a news conference. "It doesn't matter who you are. It does not matter. If you break the law, there are consequences - period."
He called on Dunnings to resign and said "it turns your stomach" that Dunnings never intervened to help victims he said were "brutalized, assaulted, manipulated, provided drugs, imprisoned."
"This is a huge betrayal of his trust, his oath of office, his service to the people of this county," said Ingham County Sheriff Gene Wriggelsworth.
The human trafficking ring leader pleaded guilty in November and is awaiting sentencing, Schuette said.