CALEDONIA, Mich. — A 42-year-old man from Caledonia is facing a list of felony charges after investigators say he used the promise of vapes and alcohol to lure young girls into sending illicit images and engaging in sexual acts.
Scott Elam was arraigned on the charges Thursday afternoon in front of Kent County Judge Jeffrey O’Hara.
“The court is concerned regarding the safety of the victims, the community,” Judge O’Hara said Thursday. “The court is also concerned about the risk of flight.”
Elam’s bond was set at $500,000.
In June, detectives with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force received a disturbing tip about a 17-year-old girl being abused.
The tip alleged a 42-year-old man, Elam, was having sex with a 17-year-old girl in exchange for giving her alcohol.
Through the course of their investigation into the alleged criminal relationship, investigators say they discovered evidence of further crimes against children.
“It is believed the suspect has communicated with several teenage girls from surrounding areas such as Forest Hills, Lowell, Caledonia and Byron Center,” a statement from the sheriff’s office said.
Investigators say they found information saying Elam had been communicating with a number of teenage girls, offering them vape pens and alcohol in exchange for sending him illicit photos, or having sex with him.
Elam was taken into custody Wednesday, July 17. Detectives were at his home in the Caledonia area to execute a search warrant.
Some of the sexual assaults he is accused of committing were allegedly video recorded inside his home.
He is now sitting in the Kent County Jail, facing five felony charges:
- Aggravated child sexual abuse
- Aggravated distributing child sexually abusive material
- Aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material
- Using a computer to commit a crime
- Capturing/distributing image of an unclothed person
Investigators are still looking at the possibility that there are more victims yet to be identified.
The sheriff’s office is working the case alongside an in-house advocate team and the Crisis Aid International – Child Anti-Exploitation Program.
“This team mentors teenagers engaging in risky sexual behavior and provides support to them and their families,” a statement from the sheriff’s office explained Thursday.
“These advocates work in the same office as detectives and work hand-in-hand with our Human Trafficking Task Force to provide a victim-centered approach when caring for those involved in sex trafficking or sexual-related crimes.”
Anyone with information about Elam or potential victims are asked to reach out to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office at (616) 632-6125.
Information can also always be submitted anonymously via Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345.
Chris McKenna, founder of Protect Young Eyes, told FOX 17 Thursday that creating open and honest lines of communication with your kids will allow them to come to you in the event of something happening.
“Many of the spaces where our kids spend time and where we spend time have interactions and content that is helpful and hurtful,” McKenna explained. “It is very possible through even what are, quote, innocent apps, for contact to be made, for curiosity to be created, and then for contact to be initiated outside of that.”
Protect Young Eyes offers a number of resources for parents looking to keep their children and teens safe on the internet.
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