DICKINSON COUNTY, MI (NBC 26) — Seven men — including two from Green Bay — are behind bars following a human trafficking operation in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Authorities say the operation ran from October 8–12, 2025, and marks the first human trafficking crackdown of its kind in Dickinson County.
The Dickinson County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed 45-year-old David Bailey and 41-year-old Joseph Peters, both from Green Bay, were among those arrested.
According to Prosecutor Abbey Anderson, the coordinated effort involved several law enforcement agencies across the Upper Peninsula. The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office partnered with TV journalist Chris Hansen and his TruBlu team to track down the suspects.
Anderson says the unified approach highlights law enforcement’s commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and holding offenders accountable.
Initially, booking photographs of those arrested were withheld from the Sheriff’s Office mobile app to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation. Now that all suspects have been arraigned and their charges are public, those photos and case details will be released in a follow-up post from the sheriff’s office.
The sheriff’s office thanked all agencies involved — along with Hansen and the TruBlu team — for their hard work, professionalism, and dedication, adding that the operation’s success was the result of exceptional teamwork.
Local authorities are reminding residents that human trafficking and child exploitation aren’t limited to large metropolitan areas and can happen in any community.
Please stay with NBC 26 as this story develops.
