Houston police make major human trafficking bust Accused Houston-area pimp allegedly choked prostitutes, threatened 6-year-old

Marquis Dominick Holmes, 27, was arrested Saturday at his southwest Houston apartment on five felony charges accusing him of running a prostitution ring.



Scroll through to see the numbers behind human trafficking less Marquis Dominick Holmes, 27, was arrested Saturday at his southwest Houston apartment on five felony charges accusing him of running a prostitution ring.



Scroll through to see the numbers behind human ... more Photo: Houston Police Department Photo: Houston Police Department Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Houston police make major human trafficking bust 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

Houston police detailed a major human trafficking bust Wednesday that led to the arrest of a man who allegedly pimped out 10 women throughout the country.

Marquis Dominick Holmes, 27, was arrested Saturday at his southwest Houston apartment on five felony charges accusing him of running a prostitution ring, often in a violent fashion.

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Holmes became the target of an investigation a few months ago when one of the prostitutes came forward to police about the enterprise.

Vice detectives with the Houston Police Department said Holmes would use violence against the prostitutes, such as choking them or striking them with a vehicle. Detectives said Holmes also threatened to hurt the 6-year-old child of a prostitute at one point.

Police said Holmes would threaten and harm the prostitutes if they did not perform at least 10 sex acts per day or turn around $1,500 in revenue daily.

"Often times, (the prostitutes') documents are withheld or food is withheld, things of that nature, to continue the forced coercion," HPD Lt. Jessica Anderson said.

At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, HPD Capt. James Dale turned his focus away from Holmes and onto other pimps in the Houston area, vowing to take similar action against them.

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"It's so egregious and so violent what this suspect was doing," Dale said. "We want to say a warning to others ... we're coming for you."

Dale also said people who pay for prostitutes are also in their cross hairs.

"You're not innocent in all of this," Dale said. "We're focusing on you as well. These women aren't working on their own free will. A majority of them work with a handler or pimp. If they don't do what this pimp says, violence or worse things can occur."

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Holmes is sitting in Harris County Jail on two felony counts of trafficking of a person, two felony counts of compelling prostitution by force and one felony count of aggravated promotion of prostitution.

A judge ordered him detained with no bond, although he was out on bond for felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and felony assault-family violence at the time of his most recent arrest, court documents show.

He is facing up to life in prison if convicted.

Jay R. Jordan is a breaking news reporter at Chron.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan.