MUNISING, Mich. (WZMQ) – A Gladstone man is facing child sex crime charges after a sting operation in Alger County.
The Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force reports 38-year-old Clifford Lawrence Kaja is charged with one count of accosting a child for immoral purposes, a four-year felony; one count of using a computer to commit a crime, a seven-year felony; and one count of selling or furnishing alcohol to a minor, a misdemeanor with a mandatory $1,000 fine and punishable by up to 60 days in jail.
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According to the UPHTTF, the Alger County Sheriff’s Office partnered with the U.P. Human Oppression Strike Team (U.P. HOST) to identify “consumers of sex crimes” in Alger County.
Kaja chatted with undercover police agents posing as minors, and he showed up to a hotel in Munising with a form of payment in exchange to have sex with a 15 year old.
Kaja’s bond was set at $100,000.
“Thanks for the support of these operations! The top priority of our office is to protect our kids and the vulnerable who cannot protect themselves! These are great operations, led by great people,” said Alger County Sheriff Todd Brock.
Hundreds of chats transpired during the operation between undercover police agents and multiple persons that were interested in having sex with a minor.
Anyone with information on potential additional victims is urged to contact that Alger County Sheriff’s Office at 906-387-4444.
Operational expenses were grant funded by the U.P. Human Trafficking Task Force. The U.P. HOST team was created by the Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force (UPHTTF), a nonprofit NGO that set forth the following goal to investigate & prosecute human trafficking cases at the local, state, and federal levels.
A 24/7 confidential helpline and tipline, operated by the UPHTTF is available to the public to call 906) 299-9243. To find more information in ways you can help support the mission go to.
How You Can Help – Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task (upht123.org)
