Tom Tolen / news@whmi.com

A Brighton man is one of three alleged sexual predators from Southeast Michigan facing felony charges following their arrests in a joint sting operation by Homeland Security Investigations and Taylor Police. Homeland Security Investigations is a federal law enforcement agency within the Department of Homeland Security.


30-year-old Craig William Newby of Brighton is one of those charged with child sexually abusive activity and accosting children for immoral purposes. The others charged are 44-year-old Ryan Richard Davis of Romulus and 24-year-old Austin Sheldon of Inkster.

The operation began with officers luring the suspects in by posing online as children in a four-day operation that began on April 24th. HSI officers used cutting-edge technology to track Newby, using "flock cameras” — license plate readers that can be used to track suspects in a case. The flock cameras were also utilized to track Sheldon, the third and last person arrested.

The operation produced a bonus with 15 potential adult victims of human trafficking stepping forward. They have been paired up with victim advocates who linked them to a variety of services offered by social service agencies.