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Man known as Rodeo Loco sentenced to life in prison for sexually exploiting teen girls

"This was a horrendous, drug-fueled, weapon-heavy nightmare. We really do need to protect the public from further crimes of this man."

A federal judge has sentenced Michael Clayton, also known as Rodeo Loco, to life in prison for sexually exploiting three high school-age girls, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a news release.

The sentence followed a three-day trial in June where a jury found Clayton, 33, guilty of being a felon in possession of firearms, conspiring to distribute cocaine, producing child pornography involving the three girls, and forcing one of them to engage in prostitution.

"This was a horrendous, drug-fueled, weapon-heavy nightmare. We really do need to protect the public from further crimes of this man," U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff said.

Battle Creek woman arrested for witness retaliation

The Battle Creek Police Department received a call on Oct. 5, 2017 informing them Clayton was holding a 16-year-old girl against her will. Police responded to Clayton’s residence around 9:30 p.m. Clayton told police there were no females in the house, but police found the 16-year-old girl in an unlit basement.

Police found a 16-year-old girl in this unlit basement in Battle Creek. (Photo: Provided)

After interviewing the girl, police learned Clayton forced her into the basement to avoid police detection. She originally met Clayton a few weeks earlier, when he invited her to party, gave her cocaine, and then expected her to have sex with him as payment for the cocaine.

Clayton continued to give her cocaine and demand sex. He would frequently record and save videos of those sex acts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

When Battle Creek police and the Department of Homeland Security investigators executed search warrants for Clayton's Snapchat account and iPhone, they uncovered more than 20 videos of Clayton engaging in sex acts with the 16-year-old, as well as about 10 more videos involving 15- and 17-year-old girls.

Those search warrants also revealed videos of Clayton with cocaine and guns. The U.S. Attorney's Office said he used the proceeds of his illegal drug sales to promote a business he called Zombie Lifestyle.

The 16-year-old girl also told Battle Creek police that Clayton and his co-defendant, Ramiro Hernandez, pushed her to have sex for money about a week before Battle Creek police found her. Clayton and Hernandez arranged that sex date with someone she did not know, and Clayton kept all of the money.

Hernandez pleaded guilty to sex trafficking. He testified against Clayton at trial and received a 10-year prison sentence from Neff.

Davi Sarah Bailey, 28, of Battle Creek was charged in June with threatening a witness in the case.

Authorities said Bailey, who has a child with Clayton, made social media threats to the sister of one of the victim's in Clayton's case. The U.S. Attorney's office said Tuesday that Bailey pleaded guilty to the charge and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 29.

Contact Kalea Hall at (269) 966-0697 or khall@battlecreekenquirer.com. Follow her on Twitter at @bykaleahall.

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