Terrence Clay Convicted of Sex Trafficking Child

A federal jury in Michigan has convicted a 39-year-old man of sex trafficking a child, child exploitation, and distributing child pornography.

Terrence Clay, of Kent County, was found guilty on all counts after a trial in the Western District of Michigan. He is set to be sentenced on September 17, 2024.

U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said, “Treating his victim like nothing more than property, Terrence Clay repeatedly ordered a minor to sell herself for sex. Today’s guilty verdict on all counts secures a measure of justice for the victim and the entire community who is harmed by these heinous crimes.”

Evidence presented at the trial showed that Clay met the 13-year-old victim at a park in Grand Rapids in October 2022. He had sex with her multiple times and ordered her to have sex with other men for money. Clay also took nude images of the victim and advertised her online.

Law enforcement found the victim in a library in November 2022 and she was taken to a foster home in the Upper Peninsula. However, Clay located the victim and picked her up at the foster home without the knowledge of the foster family. He was stopped by police just south of the Mackinac Bridge, and the victim was found in the car with him.

The investigation was led by the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and other local law enforcement agencies. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to protect children from exploitation and abuse.

U.S. Attorney Totten said, “Working with our law enforcement partners, social service providers, and others, we will continue our efforts to end the scourge of human trafficking.”

Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan, said, “The conviction of Terrence Clay is a testament to the exceptional investigative work carried out by our WEBCHEX task force in partnership with law enforcement agencies to combat child trafficking.”

Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Young said, “Our Human Trafficking Task Force continues to make progress in prosecutions and building relationships with area victim service providers to further enhance Kent County’s response to sex and labor trafficking.”

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Constance Turnbull. Anyone with information or concerns about possible child exploitation should contact local law enforcement. For more information about Project Safe Childhood in West Michigan, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/project-safe-childhood.