A 34-year-old Clinton Township man, Darren John Dawson, has been charged with multiple felonies after a 58-year-old woman was found to have been allegedly tortured and imprisoned over a drug debt. According to CBS News Detroit, Dawson held the woman against her will for approximately six months, from November 2023 to April 2024, and is accused of having confined the victim in a closet in his apartment. In addition to the physical abuse, Dawson also allegedly stole her Social Security money and food stamps.

During an arraignment in the 41B District Court. Dawson was charged with torture, which is a potential life felony; unlawful imprisonment, which holds up to a 15-year sentence, and larceny by conversion of $1,000 or more but less than $20,000, a 5-year felony. As reported by The Detroit News, the magistrate presiding over the case set his bond at a steep $1 million, enforcing stringent conditions on Dawson's release, including a mandate for GPS monitoring, prohibiting contact with the victim, and disallowing possession of firearms.

Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido described the suffering the victim endured as "unimaginable" and likened her experience to "a living nightmare". According to WWJ Newsradio, Lucido vowed to seek justice and hold Dawson accountable, asserting, "Our office is committed to seeking justice for her, and we will pursue every avenue to ensure this individual is held fully accountable for the alleged crimes committed."