SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — A judge has dismissed a large part of the case against the man accused of holding six women against their will inside a Sandy Springs mansion.
Kenndric Roberts appeared before a judge Thursday and heard the extensive case against him.
Channel 2's Mike Petchenik was inside the courtroom and live-tweeted the hearing as a detective went on the stand to detail the investigation.
Roberts was facing 14 felony charges, including six counts of human trafficking and six counts of false imprisonment, and weapons charges.
Charges that remain are:
1. False Imprisonment
2. False Imprisonment
3. 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 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.
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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 granted Roberts an $80,000 bond.
Minute by minute coverage of the case:
Judge also sets a bond for Kenndric Roberts. D.A. arguing victims weren't notified about potential bond.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Breaking: Judge dismissed all but three charges against Kenndric Roberts. pic.twitter.com/v0Op6UrYqS
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Defense attorney argues women weren't held against their will, wanted to partake in the lavish lifestyle Kenndric Roberts was providing.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Prosecutor: Roberts threatened to cut the breast implants out of a victim if she tried to leave him.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Attorney: "My client is a poor man's Hugh Hefner."
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Attorney points out Kenndric Roberts has no previous arrest record, despite allegations of gang affiliations.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Attorney: "They were living pretty high off the hog, weren't they?" Det: "That's debatable."
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Attorney says Roberts paid for health insurance for the woman, provided them vehicles, expensive jewelry.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Attorney says women had housing, personal chef, tanning contracts and beauty salon stipends while working for Roberts.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Defense attorney argues all the girls had contracts with a "termination clause" in it.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
I obtained this handwritten note Roberts' attorney says he wrote showing items he says he gave one woman who worked for him. pic.twitter.com/uFQUsoiWLw
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Det. testifies Roberts forced the women to dance at the Pink Pony in Brookhaven, then took all their tips.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Det: Kenndric Roberts put vehicles in the name of one victim who had good credit.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Det.says one human trafficking victim wrote an e-mail to the Attorney General's office laying out allegations of abuse at the home.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Det. says Roberts wouldn't allow the women to keep any money on them at all.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Detective says Roberts stole $78k from women he forced to work at strip clubs.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Detective testifies Roberts sent victim to Dominican republic to have breast work and butt lift.
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
A #SandySprings special investigator is testifying in human trafficking case. pic.twitter.com/Z4GGAli63x
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
Kenndric Roberts is in court for his prelim hearing on human trafficking charges. pic.twitter.com/w0eXros87D
— Mike Petchenik (@MPetchenikWSB) March 23, 2017
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