Police: Ferndale man told human trafficking victim 'If I wanted you dead, you would be dead'

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 29-year-old Ferndale man was arrested and arraigned for human trafficking by Southfield police.

Rodney Holland was charged with four felonies, including prostitution and conducting a human trafficking enterprise. Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren announced the arrest and arraignment at a Thursday press conference. 

Police say Holland used two Southfield locations in trafficking a 49-year-old Flint woman this case, at Marvins' Garden Inn and Red Oak Inn both on Northwestern, located near each other.

The backstory:

Barren said Holland used social media for commercial sex advertisements, with evidence pointing to other victims of the suspect. Those victims are out of Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.  It is unclear is he was working with more suspects or how large his operation was, with the investigation ongoing.

Holland was arrested on Tuesday but the initial call to the police came Sunday at the Red Oak Hotel when a desk clerk called 911 reporting a woman had said that she was in fear of her boyfriend. Officers arrived and she told them of a history of abuse which she had not previously reported to police. 

"She was very emotional, visibly afraid. She said she had gotten into a verbal dispute," Barren said. "She (previously) tried to distance herself from the suspect (sitting in her car). He asked her to get out of the car. She asked him if he was going to hurt her. He responded by calling her the b-word and stated, ‘If I wanted you dead, you would be dead.’"

The victim got out, and after a confrontation where he grabbed her phone from her, she ran to a nearby vehicle and asked for a ride to the Red Oak Inn where the clerk there, contacted police.  

"Keep in mind our initial report was for a domestic dispute, but through exceptional detective work a human trafficking component was uncovered," Barren said.

One red flag the detective who spoke to the woman told Barren, was that she did not know Holland's name despite being together four months - only calling him by the nickname "Mello."

Police bodycam showing arrest of Rodney Holland. Courtesy the Southfield Police Department.

Holland, who had fled the motel when police responded, was found to already been on probation for domestic violence strangulation. His criminal history includes assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, strangulation, assault resisting/obstructing police officers, and fleeing and eluding.

The suspect was taken into custody at the Detroit Wayne Greenfield Probation Office Tuesday. 

"(Our detectives) discover(ed) he was currently on probation, and (said) why not contact the probation office, put him in a controlled environment  and then take him into custody without incident," Barren said.

In bodycam video, Holland is seen sitting in an office when officers barge in, catching him by surprise and arresting him without incident.

"When you see the manner in which this individual was taken into custody, I continue to go back to our detectives, always thinking - a dangerous suspect unknown what harm he could do to the community or other officers," the chief said. 

Holland is charged with one count each of prostitution/transporting a person, prostitution/accepting earnings, human trafficking enterprise causing injury and human trafficking for forced labor causing injury.

He was given a $750,000 bond and his next court date will be March 17.

Rodney Holland