Details from the ‘house of horrors? were ‘difficult and shocking’ to behold.
That’s the word from Lake Orion Police after the arrest of two men who allegedly beat and raped a 52-year-old Orion Township woman held captive in their home for nearly two months.
Leon Jeffrey Setty, 54, and Frank Brian Bennett, 47’both long-time Lake Orion residents’were arraigned Wednesday, Nov. 11 on multiple charges of criminal sexual conduct.
Each is held on $1 million bond at Oakland County Jail.
Police said the woman, who arrived at the police station Nov. 7 with a witness who helped her escape, told them she was hired as a live-in housekeeper in mid-September.
‘According to the victim, the intimidation and threats began almost immediately,? said Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh. ‘And then the assaults began.?
The victim also said she was ‘forced to drink and become intoxicated? on a regular basis, including the night a friend of Setty and Bennett stopped by unannounced and ultimately helped the woman escape from the home.
The witness, a 31-year-old Lapeer man who had never met the victim before, told police both men made ‘very crude statements? indicating the woman was ‘their sex slave.?
The man also said he saw Setty and Bennett become violent with the woman, who was asleep on a couch when he arrived.
‘They began to assault her, pull her hair, smack her, grab her by the ankle and pull her off the couch, which caused quite a wound,? Narsh said. ‘One or both the subjects offered for the witness to have sex with her for $5. He was absolutely shocked and disgusted and said no.?
After Setty and Bennett’who allegedly threatened harm to the woman and her young teenage daughter if she left’fell asleep, the witness convinced her to leave with him and go to police.
‘He literally rescued her,? Narsh said. ‘I know it may be hard for many people to believe that someone could remain in a house or in a place like that, but history is full of cases where people are held when the weapon is fear and intimidation. Our officers were convinced her fear was real.?
According to other media reports, the mother of one of the accused men lives in the home next to the one where the crimes allegedly occured and said she heard conflicting stories from the woman police are calling a victim. She doesn’t believe Setty and Bennett are guilty as charged.
Narsh, however, said more details are imminent.
‘There will be some damning testimony,? he said. ‘There is evidence, obviously, that will come out in a trial or court hearing, that is not being released in the media. Charges would not have been filed if there had not been sufficient evidence to support those charges.?
Setty and Bennett are scheduled for preliminary exam Tuesday, Nov. 17. Police said Bennett has a history of only a few minor offenses, but Setty, on the other hand, has a record’including armed robbery, sexual assault, fleeing and eluding police, domestic violence, possession of controlled substance and home invasion’dating back to 1975.
According to Michigan Department of Correction records, Setty served six years, from 1975-1981, for convictions on armed robbery and rape charges.
In 1997 he was sentenced to two-20 years on delivery/manufacture of narcotics-cocaine less than 50 grams. It wasn’t clear how much time he served, but in June 2003 he was sentenced to 4-15 years for second-degree home invasion. He was paroled January 2008 with a supervision discharge date of January 2011.

-Megan Collier and Laura Colvin