SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A man accused of holding women captive inside of a Sandy Springs mansion is facing new charges.
A grand jury indicted Kenndric Roberts on human trafficking charges Friday that a judge previously tossed on Thursday.
The grand jury also charged Roberts with street gang participation.
"It was distressing because we thought that it put our victims in a state of vulnerability. We thought that it was important that this defendant remain in jail," Fulton County district attorney Paul Howard said.
Breaking: Grand jury indicts Kenndric Roberts on human trafficking charges judge tossed Thursday, plus charge for street gang participation. pic.twitter.com/aoMs3QJ9YN
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 24, 2017
More: Grand Jury also issued no bond warrant, so Roberts will have to stay in jail, despite judge's Thursday bond order. pic.twitter.com/6LFUomvxZe
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 24, 2017
Roberts originally faced 14 felony charges but the judge dropped most, leaving only two counts of false imprisonment and a weapons charge.
Prosecutors said Roberts held six women against their will at a mansion and forced them to dance at the Pink Pony strip club. They argued he sent one woman to the Dominican Republic for breast implants and a butt lift in an effort to make more money off of her.
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Prosecutors said he took their money, by one account, $78,000, for just two months of work.
An undercover detective testified that Roberts met the women through a sugar daddy matchmaking site.
Investigators said he also threatened harm to the women if they left him.
"He took her phone. We found her passport in his bedroom,” said detective Justin Clutter. “Basically she was in fear because she saw firearms. He ended up sending her to Dominican Republic to get a breast augmentation and a butt lift. And he started making threats.”
Roberts attorney called him a "poor man's Hugh Hefner," who had legit contracts with these women to pay them for the work they were doing for him.
“He thought he was going to have a big entertainment company and these women were going to be models and that was their game plan,” attorney Mike Maloof Sr. said.
He argued Roberts lavished them with expensive gifts as part of their payment and that they were free to leave as they wanted.
The judge originally granted Roberts an $80,000 bond. The district attorney says that has been revoked and he now has no bond.
Cox Media Group
