Former Detroit City Council president and Fox 2 news anchor Charles Pugh was arrested today in New York City. He was charged with six counts of criminal sexual conduct. The charges stem from Pugh's contact with a 14-year-old boy between September 2003 and May 2004.
More from a press release from the Wayne County Prosecutor's office:
In June 2003 the 14-year-old Detroit teen met Pugh for the first time when he went to the Fox2 news station with a theater group to perform. At that time Pugh was working as a reporter and anchor at the station. The complainant approached Pugh about an internship and they exchanged phone numbers. The teen did not work as an intern at Fox2, but during the summer of 2003, at Pugh’s invitation the teen went to Pugh’s Detroit apartment several times. Pugh and the complainant kept in touch by phone, and text messages. It is alleged that Pugh had inappropriate sexual contact with the complainant at Pugh’s home in Detroit from September 2003 through May 2004.
After the accusations came out in the summer of 2013, Pugh suddenly disappeared while serving as Detroit City Council president. He later turned up in Seattle, and then in New York City.
In a 2015 federal civil trial, Pugh said he left because he did a "horrible thing."
More from the Detroit Free Press:
“I left because I was embarrassed. It was a very stressful time for me,” Pugh said in the videotaped deposition taken last month, sighing at times. “The country was about to find out about this horrible thing I had done. I had to get out of there.”
Pugh was ordered to pay the complainant $250,000 in that civil case.
His arrest for criminal charges was videotaped today by WPIX-TV in New York, where Pugh has reportedly been making ends meet by waiting tables:
#BREAKING: Former Detroit city leader, TV anchor arrested for alleged sexual misconduct with a minor — @MarioPIX11 https://t.co/Cmxasya1Rq
— PIX11 News (@PIX11News) June 23, 2016
Pugh is 44 years old. The complainant is currently 27 years old.
