Pugh bound over for trial following disturbing testimony from alleged victim

DETROIT (WJBK) - After disturbing testimony in court Friday, a judge has sent Charles Pugh to trial for criminal sexual conduct.

"I've heard enough ... he is a pedophile," the judge said.

Pugh was bound over on three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and on two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. A third count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct was dismissed on Friday.

He's accused of having inappropriate contact with a 14-year-old boy, beginning back in 2003. That defendant testified in court Friday.

The man who says he began having sexual relations with Pugh dove into the past during the former Detroit City Council president's preliminary exam.

"Charles told me that I did a good job and he started touching me on my thigh," the alleged victim said.

The man, who is now 27 years old, said in his testimony that he began having sex with Pugh, a former FOX 2 anchor, when he was 14 years old.

He recalled the day he said Pugh first acted inappropriately in 2003.

"I didn't think too much about the thigh rub," he said. "I just wanted to let it go."

Back then, the alleged victim who was Pugh's intern, said Pugh would pick him up and take him to his apartment.

"He sits next to me, pulls his pants down and starts to masturbate ... He's saying, 'Wow, that was good -- don't tell anybody."

As months pass, the victim said Pugh showed him videos of Pugh having sex. Then, he and Pugh began having oral and anal sex.

"I felt like this was what he required in order for me to be around him," he said.

Still calling him his mentor, the alleged victim said at one point, he asked Pugh if there were other boys.

"He got really upset and he told me no -- I was special," he said.

The alleged victim said he decided to come forward after learning of the civil suit against Pugh -- and seeing Pugh on television, insisting the allegations were untrue.

"I thought I was the only one -- I believed Charles," he said. "It became my responsibility to not let this happen to anybody else."

But the defense argued Friday that the teen was never forced into anything and that his testimony was only driven by greed.

"He's hoping to get a pay day -- that's what this is all about," said defense attorney Delphia Burton.

But after hearing the testimony, Judge Denise Langston decided to send Pugh to trial on five out of six criminal sexual conduct charges. It was determined the victim had turned 16 after some of the alleged sexual encounters.

"He became his unofficial gopher and sex slave basically," Langston said.

With Pugh's family sitting nearby, Langston called Pugh a "gay pedophile." After much debate, Pugh's bond, while previously set at a half a million dollars cash, was lowered to $150,000 cash.

Pugh is due back in court next week and must surrender his driver's license and passport, as well as wear an electronic tether if he can post bond.