SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. -- The 30-year-old man suspected of coercing a teenage girl from Washington State to Michigan has faced formal charges in Van Buren County District Court.
Keith Freerksen was arraigned today on nine felony charges, including two counts each of human trafficking and using a computer to commit a crime.
At a noon-hour news conference, Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott provided a timeline of how the missing 14-year-old girl from Mount Vernon, Washington met the suspect in an online chatroom, and then used a ride-sharing service to get to Freerksen's home near South Haven.
Abbott said she's safe now.
"Not every victim can say that, nor walk away from something like this alive," he said.
The Sheriff's Office was first contacted by the FBI on Wednesday.
"Detectives had enough probable cause after the information was shared for a search warrant for the residence in question. Detectives met with Chief Prosecutor Susan Zuiderveen, at which time a search warrant was issued. Our detectives from our office then put together an operational plan, a tactical plan, a contingency plan, and then executed the warrant," Abbott said.
Sheriff Abbott says the teenager had gotten on a website chat platform, and that's how she met Freerksen.
"By God's grace, this victim was able to be united with her family alive," he said."
WOOD-TV 8's website carried the livestream video of the news conference. Here is the website link for more details.
###
Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott announces details of the arrest of a man near South Haven who police say was found with a missing 14-year-old girl from Mount Vernon, Washington. Photo: Screen capture from a WOODTV.com livestream