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Three Houghton County men face child sex charges, following an investigation led by local sheriff’s departments.
In a media release Monday afternoon, Houghton County Sheriff Josh Saarinen identified the three as:
• 38-year-old Peter Hallesy, of Kearsarge,
• 47-year-old Juan Marin, of Hancock, and
• 36-year-old Trenton Kyllonen, of Lake Linden.
Investigators say the three men chatted online with undercover deputies who were posing as minors. They were subsequently arrested when they arrived at a location, allegedly to have sex with a minor.
The human trafficking task force is a multi-county effort comprised of members of the Houghton, Baraga, Keweenaw and Ontonagon County Sheriff’s Offices. The Hancock City Police Department also assisted in the operation.
Each of the three suspects were charged by the State of Michigan Attorney General’s Office with the following offenses, and will be prosecuted by the Houghton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office:
- Child Sexually Abusive Activity, a felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $100,000 fine. Conviction of this offense also carries requirements to register as a sex offender under the Michigan Sex Offender Registration Act.
- Use of a Computer to Commit Child Sexually Abusive Activity, a felony with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine. This charge carries with it the possibility of a consecutive sentence that is within the discretion of the sentencing court.
- Accosting a Child for Immoral Purposes, a felony with a maximum penalty of four years in prison and/or a $4,000 fine. Conviction of this offense also carries requirements to register as a sex offender under the Michigan Sex Offender Registration Act.
- Using a computer to commit a crime, a felony punishable by four to 10 years in prison.
In the release, Saaranen said he “Appreciates the collaboration between the four-county sheriffs and the local municipal police agencies. We’re working together to not only take predators into custody but to also make sure that there are strong avenues for individuals and victims to receive advocacy and help.”
If you or a loved one have been harmed by any one of these three individuals, contact the Houghton County Sheriff’s Office at (906) 482-0055.
The task force also partners with the non-profit Upper Peninsula Human Trafficking Task Force. A 24/7 confidential helpline operated by the UPHTTF is available to the public to call for advocacy and help at (906) 299-9243, or visit upht123.org.
