Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald.
FOX 2 - A Metro Detroit doctor is accused of trading medical care for sex with trafficked women and drug charges.
The backstory:
Dr. Gireesh Velugubanti of Royal Oak, is a practicing neurologist and a suspected customer of the Sonesta Suites trafficking ring involving three other suspects already facing charges, the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office said Thursday.
Antoine Fulgiam, Chanel Rackard, and Sherri Gress are all accused of running the human trafficking ring.
Investigators say text messages between Dr. Velugubanti and Fulgiam allegedly show the defendant arranging commercial sex with trafficking victims as well as purchasing drugs.
Text messages also reveal that the Dr. Velugubanti was unhappy with one of the trafficked sex workers and apparently asked Fulgiam to warn the trafficking victim that her "free medical care" may come to an end.
Prosecutor Karen McDonald called the doctor's actions "especially shocking" in a statement.
"According to police investigations, he effectively ransomed health care in order to exploit one or more victims," she said. "The first rule of the medical profession is to ‘do no harm.’ There are few things a doctor can do more harmful than to allegedly expect sex as a condition for care."
Velugubanti is charged with human trafficking enterprise resulting in injury/commercial sexual activity, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison and/or a $15,000 fine, and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance less than 50 grams, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and/or a $25,000 fine.
A photo of Velugubanti has not been released, pending his arraignment.
"Purchasing sex with trafficked women isn’t a victimless crime. It is abuse," McDonald said. "This defendant and men like him, often living comfortable lives, prey on victims who have been denied personal agency or freedom by traffickers. Sex trafficking only exists because so-called ‘customers’ create an economic incentive.
"They will be held accountable."
The Source: Information for this report came from the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office.