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Southfield doctor arraigned in sex trafficking probe
A Southfield doctor accused of exchanging medical care for commercial sex was in court where he was given a $500k bond after being arraigned on drug and sex ring charges.
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Oakland County doctor charged in connection with a sex trafficking ring made his first appearance in court Friday morning.
Gireesh Velugubanti was ensnared in the investigation during a preliminary exam for three other suspects accused of operating a commercial sex ring out of a Southfield hotel.
The Latest:
An Oakland County neurologist was arraigned on felony sex trafficking and drug charges on Friday morning. He is accused of trading medical care for commercial sex with women being trafficked out of a Southfield hotel.
He was given a $500,000 bond, no 10%, and must undergo drug testing three times a week if he posts bail.
Through his defense attorney, Velgubanti waived a formal reading of the charges, stood mute, and pleaded not guilty.
His next court appearance will be July 10 at 8:30 a.m.
Gireesh Velugubanti, an Oakland County doctor, in court for his arraignment
The backstory:
Velugubanti has lived in the area for 20 years and currently works out of a neurology practice based in Southfield.
He was identified during an investigation into the Sonesta Suites where a human trafficking ring operated by three suspects was taking place. Antoine Fulgiam, Chanel Rackard, and Sherri Gress are all defendants in the case.
During a probe into the operation, law enforcement identified Velugubanti as one of the people who communicated with the defendants in that case.
From July 1 to Aug. 31, he had various conversations with one of the individuals who operated the ring. The doctor arranged various dates with a trafficked victim, according to an assistant prosector.
During Velugubanti's arraignment, the attorney said the doctor had threatened one of the suspects that he withhold medical care from the victim after becoming unhappy with a commercial sex date he had arranged.
There were also multiple dates where Velugubanti arranged crack cocaine for himself and others, the prosecutor said.
"That is the crux of the allegation in this case. It comes from irrefutable cell phone evidence that was discovered in the course of the prosecution of those three defendants," said Assistant Prosecutor Jasleen Singh.
Sex trafficking in Southfield
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Before Velugubanti was identified, prosecutors had brought dozens of charges against three individuals allegedly running a human trafficking ring from a Southfield hotel.
According to the prosecutor's office, a preliminary hearing for Fulgiam started in early June. He faces a slew of felony sex trafficking, assault, and drug charges.
Gress and Rackard are also involved in the case, each being charged with human trafficking as well.
Sherri Gress and Antoine Fulgiam mug shots.
The Source: The Oakland County Proescutor, an arraignment in court, and previous reporting was used for this story.