From left to right and top to bottom, David A. Bailey, Nicholas J. Krackenberger, John C. Coughlin, Guy A. Ruder, Kelsey L. Nurbank, Dennis W. Zuern, Joseph S. Peters.
DICKINSON COUNTY, Mich. (WTAQ-WLUK) — Seven men, including two from Green Bay, have been charged in a human trafficking case in the Upper Peninsula.
Last week, the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office announced it had executed a human trafficking operation from Oct. 8-12 that yielded seven arrests. Numerous law enforcement partners across the U.P. assisted in the sting, as well as Homeland Security Investigations, which operates under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Officials say the operation “targeted individuals involved in the sexual exploitation of children and vulnerable adults” and investigators implemented various strategies “to identify offenders and potential victims.”
Now that the suspects have all been arraigned, authorities are releasing their names and charges.
- Nicholas J. Krackenberger, 29, from Iron Mountain, Mich.
- David A. Bailey, 45, from Green Bay
- Kelsey L. Nurbank, 29, from Kingsford, Mich.
- Guy A. Ruder, 51, from Tomahawk
- Joseph S. Peters, 41, from Green Bay
- John C. Coughlin, 61, from Iron Mountain, Mich.
- Dennis W. Zuern, 65, from Iron Mountain, Mich.
Each of the men were charged with:
- Child sexually abusive activity
- Use of a computer to commit child sexually abusive activity
- Use of a computer to commit accosting a child for immoral purposes
- Children – accosting for immoral purposes
These are all felony charges. The first two counts carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, the third carries a maximum of seven years and the fourth carries a maximum of four years.
If convicted of the first and/or fourth charges, the men would be required to register as a sex offender. The last two charges carry the possibility of consecutive sentences, within the discretion of the sentencing court.
This was a first-of-its-kind operation in Dickinson County. Investigative journalist Chris Hansen and his TruBlu film crew documented portions of the sting “to raise public awareness of human trafficking and online exploitation.”
Authorities remind the public to always report suspicious activity to local law enforcement or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. You can also text HELP to 233733.
The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office wants residents to remember that human trafficking and child exploitation don’t just happen in big cities; it occurs in small towns and rural communities too. Officials remind parents and guardians that traffickers and predators use everyday online platforms, messaging apps and social media to reach their victims.
“Community awareness and parental involvement are some of the strongest tools we have to prevent exploitation. If something doesn’t seem right, speak up — you could be the one to stop a tragedy before it happens,” a news release says.
Safety tips for parents include:
- Stay engaged in their children’s online lives, including social media, gaming, and messaging platforms.
- Discuss online safety and the risks of communicating or sharing information with strangers.
- Be alert for sudden changes in behavior, secrecy or new unexplained relationships.
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