Angela Blackwell (police photo)
This case is one to make your stomach turn. Police in Saginaw, Michigan say a grandmother allegedly trafficked her granddaughter as a sex slave to aide her cocaine habit. Angela Blackwell, 45, is facing charges of first degree conspiracy to commit criminal sexual conduct, pandering and pimping. Police believe she was lending her 10-year-old granddaughter to Johnnie Lee Griffin, a 67-year-old truck driver, in exchange for cocaine. Blackwell’s next court appearance for a preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 30, 2010.
I spoke with Detective Sgt. Joseph Dutoi from the Saginaw Police and he says the granddaughter would visit Blackwell on the weekend. The assaults happened over a six month period from last September – until February. The case was brought to light when Griffin allegedly assaulted a friend of the victim, another 10-year-old in the area. Apparently both children were in the car with Griffin when he reached back and Dutoi says, “fondles one of the girls… the girl tells her mother what happens, and the girls are forensic interviewed.” This incident occurred on March 6, 2010, and Dutoi says search warrants were executed on March 8th and 9th, Blackwell was given a polygraph on March 12, and she was then arrested on March 15th. I spoke with Bill Burke, Blackwell’s neighbor, and he says, “she had more traffic than Times Square running in and out ofher home, I didn’t put the pieces together until it was too late. When I saw what she did I couldn’t believe it, it is discraceful. She is on welfare. She doesn’t work, she was on food stamps. I didn’t know her that well. I gave her and her daughter rides when they needed it, but it began to be a habit, so I wasn’t too enthused in doing that. Sometimes, she would clean houses to earn extra money here and there.” Bill told me he knows Blackwell has two daughters, and other babies would visit on the weekends along with the 10-year-old.
Johnnie Griffin WANTED (police photo)
Investigators feel there are more victims out there, and Griffin is a dangerous predator to the community.
An arrest warrant is signed and ready to go charging Griffin with two counts of first degree and one count of second degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under the age of 13. Detective Sgt. Joseph Dutoi believes Griffin could be driving a two-tone blue pickup truck with chrome rims. If you have any information, please contact: (989) 759-1288
