A 29-year-old Ferndale, Michigan, man is facing human trafficking charges after a domestic incident in Southfield, Michigan, uncovered human trafficking, police said.

Rodney Holland, who police said also went by "Mellow," is charged with one count of prostitution/transporting person, one count of prostitution/accepting earnings, one count of human trafficking enterprise causing injury and one count of human trafficking for forced labor causing injury. 

Holland was issued a $750,000 bond and is due back in court on March 17. 

Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren said their investigation suggests there may be other human trafficking victims in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, and they are working to identify those victims.

Barren said sometime after 1 a.m. on Sunday, March 2, police responded to a 911 call from a receptionist at the Red Oak Inn on Northwestern Highway regarding a domestic disturbance. Barren said that when police arrived, they interviewed the 49-year-old victim from Flint, who said she was taken to the Red Oak Inn from the Marvin's Garden Inn by a citizen after the alleged altercation.

The woman told police that she got into a verbal altercation with Holland, who she described as her boyfriend of four months, and then went to her vehicle to distance herself from him, Barren told reporters on Thursday. She told police that as she was in her vehicle, the Holland came to her car and asked her to get out. Barren said the woman reported asking Holland if he was going to hurt her, to which he replied, "If I wanted you dead, you would be dead."

Barren said the woman got out of her car, went to her hotel room at Marvin's Garden to grab her things, and returned to find the man in her car. The woman reported that she told Holland to get out of her car, to which he refused and took her cellphone. The woman said she then ran to another vehicle in the parking lot, and the driver gave her a ride to the Red Oak Inn, which is in close proximity.

Barren said the investigation into the domestic incident uncovered possible human trafficking.

"The detective shared with me the very first sign that brought to her attention that something wasn't right and that we have human trafficking was that the victim only knew her boyfriend as 'Mellow.' And so, red flag No. 1: How don't you know your boyfriend's name after four months?" Barren said.

Barren said they reviewed a body cam video showing the woman appearing afraid. He said the woman made statements about not having anywhere to go, that she was "tired" and "wanted to get out," which caught the detective's attention. Barren said the detective discovered a commercial ad posted on social media.

"The victim also disclosed to the detectives that the suspect had forced her to have multiple dates with men and that the suspect also regularly assaulted her," Barren said.

Holland fled the area but was arrested two days later, on March 4, according to Barren. Investigators learned that he was on probation for domestic violence and strangulation in Wayne County. 

Holland, who Barren said has a lengthy criminal history, was charged in 2022 after fleeing from police in a stolen vehicle. He was shot by officers in that incident.

Barren said the woman is now with family members. He credits the driver with giving the woman a ride and the receptionist with calling police.

"Oftentimes, people don't get involved, but in these instances, we're very fortunate to have community members who stepped up to get involved and ultimately help us rescue another person from human trafficking," he said.