Charles Pugh in court in early August.
Charles Pugh in court in early August.
The Nov. 7 criminal trial for ex-Detroit Councilman Charles Pugh is shaping up as a painful and embarrassing one for Pugh.
Elisha Anderson of the Detroit Free Press writes:
Charles Pugh’s behavior with a teenage boy more than a decade ago was “strikingly similar” to encounters he had with other young men, prosecutors have said.
During a court hearing today, a judge ruled that three men, who prosecutors contend were groomed by Pugh and solicited for sexual purposes when they were teens, will be able to testify in the upcoming trial of the former Detroit City Council president and ex-TV anchor.
Wayne Circuit Court Judge Thomas Cameron said the testimony is relevant in the case to show "a common plan or scheme" involving Pugh. He allegedly targeted high school teenagers and used his celebrity status, mentoring program and opportunity for jobs to get parental consent to be with the teenagers then allegedly used that consent to commit sexual offenses against minors or young adults.
Pugh is charged with having sex with an underage teen in 2003 and 2004 when he was a reporter and anchor at Fox 2. The teen is now an adult.
