Southfield police have made another major human trafficking arrest, marking the fourth significant case uncovered in just the past three months.
Authorities took 33-year-old Randolph Lewis, originally from Texas, into custody after one of his victims called police when Lewis allegedly smashed her car’s windshield at a Southfield hotel.
According to Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren, Lewis’s trafficking activities spanned multiple cities, with stops in Dallas, St. Louis, and Chicago before ending in Southfield.
The investigation began with a call about property damage at the Quality Inn on Telegraph Road. Officers quickly identified suspicious circumstances, discovering Lewis had rented three hotel rooms. Inside, police found items such as sex toys, lubricants, and condoms, consistent with human trafficking operations.
The victim, 21, told officers she had been staying at the hotel for several days and had seen multiple clients during that time.
Lewis was arrested about 12 hours into the investigation. He faces several charges, including human trafficking, prostitution, using a computer to commit a crime, and two counts of sexual assault.
Police say Lewis injured himself while in custody and is currently receiving medical treatment. He is held on a $300,000 cash bond, with a court date scheduled for August 4.
Chief Barren noted the prevalence of trafficking operations centered around hotels in Southeast Michigan, often near major cities, underscoring ongoing law enforcement efforts to combat these crimes.
