Human Trafficking Suspect Sends Letter To Okla. County Judge, Asks For Second Chance

A human sex trafficking suspect reached out to an Oklahoma County judge by letter and asked for a second chance.

Joel French is currently in the Oklahoma County Detention Center and was indicted on 10 counts of human sex trafficking. 

French went before the judge on Tuesday for a pre-trial conference and bond reduction hearing.

According to prosecutors at the state attorney general’s office, it was French’s third bond reduction request.

The judge denied lowering French’s bond from $1 million to $500,000. The attorney general's office argued French violated a previous bond release by using a cellphone to communicate with an apparent victim.

News 9 obtained the handwritten letter French sent to Judge Susan Stallings in May. He pleaded to the judge to let him go home to his family in Choctaw.

French penned the letter after he was sent back to jail after he was accused of violating one of the conditions of his bond.

French told the judge in his letter that "he is not a violent man" and "not a human trafficker." French claimed if released, he would create a nonprofit organization to help people getting out of jail.

However, the judge was not moved by the letter.

Back in April, the same judge lowered French’s bond to $500,000, in which he posted.

Within weeks of French's release, the AG’s office was notified French was at his home using a hotspot to text an alleged victim.

The attorney general's office filed documents and stated French texted the woman, "Do you want to talk to Nigel, Nigel?" The victim told the court that meant he wanted to talk business.

The same victim previously testified to the multi-county grand jury that French offered to pay her and other victims $10,000 to not talk to law enforcement.

Prosecutors asked the judge in Tuesday’s hearing to not allow the suspect another chance and to keep him in jail on the $1 million bond.

French will remain in jail as he awaits his trial.

Malcom Savage, French's attorney, told News 9 French has denied communicating with witnesses in his case.