GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A 16-year-old who was discovered being trafficked across the Mackinac Bridge told deputies she met the suspect at a Grand Rapids park and he was “pimping” her out, court documents say.

Terrence Clay was arraigned Wednesday on charges of child sexually abusive activity, two counts of using computers to commit a crime, human trafficking and two counts of possessing child sexually abusive material. He is expected to be arraigned this afternoon.

In a probable cause document filed on Oct. 21, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force said the 16-year-old ran away from Wedgwood Christian Services group home in Kentwood. She told deputies that she first met Clay at a park in Grand Rapids. She told him she was 18 years old and they left the park for a “sexual encounter,” court documents read.

The pair later met again at the same park and the suspect took the teen to a hotel, where he gave her food, clothes and a place to stay for a few weeks. The victim identified Clay and his car to detectives and told them that he was “pimping” her out.

A day before she was found, the victim said Clay told her she had to make him $200 per day and threatened her if she did not bring in the money. He gave her a cellphone so he could track her location.

A Nov. 22, 2022, booking photo of Terrence Clay from the Kent County Correctional Facility.
A Nov. 22, 2022, booking photo of Terrence Clay from the Kent County Correctional Facility.

Deputies seized two cellphones from the victim and found explicit images of her, texts between her and Clay about how to charge johns and ads on social media that were selling sex using the victim’s photo.

The case was turned over to a detective on Oct. 31. He identified the suspect and started to track him. On Nov. 12, the detective tracked the suspect while he went to the victim, where took her from her home. The teen was reported missing that day and was later located while Clay traveled across the Mackinac Bridge with her in the back seat covered by a blanket. Clay was arrested.

In court Wednesday, his bond was set at $300,000 cash surety. A parole hold was set to keep him in jail, but he may be released if it is lifted and he posts bond. If he is released, he must stay away from children, report to court services, have no contact with the victim and not use any computer equipment.