The Marquette County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office says that multiple law enforcement agencies recently conducted a joint undercover sting operation from October 17, 2024,through October 19, 2024, to combat human trafficking and child prostitution in the Upper Peninsula.
The agencies involved included the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office, the Marquette Police Department, the Chocolay Township Police Department, the Forsyth Township Police Department,
the Negaunee Police Department, and the Ishpeming Police Department. In addition, journalist Chris Hansen with the TruBlu network was embedded in the three-day operation. As a result, the following individuals were arrested and charged:
Adam Duellman, a 37-year old Gwinn, MI, resident;
Robert Wheeler, a 20-year old Kalamazoo, MI, resident;
Joseph Ross, a 37-year old Marquette City, MI, resident;
Jeremy Kohler, a 41-year old Iron Mountain, MI, resident; and
Christopher Ek, a 44-year old Wausau, WI, resident.
All five individuals have been charged with the following offenses:
1. Child Sexually Abusive Activity, a felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or $100,000. Conviction of this offense also carries requirements to register as a sex offender under the Michigan Sex Offender Registration Act.
2. Use of a Computer to Commit Child Sexually Abusive Activity, a felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or $20,000. This charge carries with it the possibility of a consecutive sentence that is within the discretion of the sentencing court.
3. Accosting a Child for Immoral Purposes, a felony with a maximum penalty of 4 years in prison and/or $4,000. Conviction of this offense also carries requirements to register as a sex offender under the Michigan Sex Offender Registration Act.
4. Use of a Computer to Commit Accosting a Child for Immoral Purposes, a felony with a maximum penalty of 7 years in prison and/or $5,000. This charge carries with it the possibility of a consecutive sentence that is within the discretion of the sentencing court.
The Prosecutor’s Office would like to thank all of the agencies involved, as well as Chris Hansen, for their hard work and dedication to this operation. We would also like to note that the individuals named above have not been convicted and all are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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