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SALT LAKE CITY — A Bountiful man accused of trafficking women and drugs is now charged with witness tampering and violating pretrial protective orders, after a special agent with the Utah Attorney General's Office said he has been contacting a victim.
Michael Joe Ricks, 51, was charged a year ago in 3rd District Court with 15 felonies and misdemeanors, including two counts of aggravated human trafficking for forced sexual exploitation, first-degree felonies; two counts of aggravated exploitation of prostitution, engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity, money laundering and three counts of drug possession with intent to distribute, second-degree felonies.
On Wednesday, 3rd District Judge Kristine Johnson denied a motion from Ricks' attorney who was seeking to dismiss the two charges for aggravated human trafficking.
Ricks' attorney, W. Andrew McCullough, argued that the charges were based in law that is unconstitutional or "broad and unduly vague." McCullough and Kaytlin Becket of the Utah Attorney General's Office argued the issue in a virtual hearing on Sept. 21; Becket argued that the unconstitutional agreement would apply to exotic dancing but not to prostitution and Ricks' charges should stand.
In a hearing on Thursday, attorneys discussed discovery and set another hearing date for Ricks' case. It is not yet set for trial, but a judge has ruled there is enough evidence to order Ricks to stand trial on the charges.
On Aug. 31 Ricks was charged with six counts of tampering with a witness and three counts of violating a pretrial protective order, all third-degree felonies. Charging documents say he repeatedly contacted one of the three victims in the case.
On Oct. 12, 2021, shortly after his initial charges were filed, Ricks was served protective orders prohibiting him from having contact with the three victims and one other individual — either directly or indirectly. However, charging documents said Ricks asked a cellmate to communicate with one of the victims, with whom he had a previous sexual relationship. The cellmate allegedly asked the victim to get a new phone number and email address that Ricks could use to communicate with her.
Charging documents said the emails sent by Ricks to this address seem to be journal or diary entries, but are clearly directed at this victim, who has responded to Ricks using her personal email address. The emails Ricks sent, which were quoted in charging documents, talked about whether witnesses will testify and said he hoped they would not so the case might be dismissed.
"I gotta admit I would be hella hurt if (the victim) did (testify)," one email said.
The emails also questioned whether this victim might talk to another victim and try to convince that victim to say she had lied. In the correspondence, the charges say Ricks consistently mentioned he is unable to reach out to victims because of the protective order.
Patrick Kevin Driscoll, of Salt Lake City, is facing trial in a related case and has been accused of aiding Ricks' prostitution and human trafficking activities. Driscoll is a former Salt Lake City IT employee and is accused of using information he had access to because of his position to help Ricks avoid being caught by police.
