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The federal courthouse in Springfield. The Department of Homeland Security busted an alleged human trafficking ring run by a married couple, who were charged in U.S. District Court on Thursday.

(THE REPUBLICAN FILE)

SPRINGFIELD — A married couple from Springfield recruited prostitutes for an illegal business they ran called "Sinful Innocence" with a snappy online slogan, according to federal investigators:

"Don't Let Your Future Walk Away!"

Milford and Tiana Lewis on Thursday were charged with human trafficking, transportation for prostitution, inducement of prostitution and other crimes. A criminal complaint filed in connection with the arrests states the couple recruited women through ads on Craigslist and Backpage.

Unnamed witnesses told Homeland Security investigators the ads featured the counter-intuitively named business as a talent agency that "negotiates contracts for the rendition of professional services" including "exotic dancer, escort, stage show performer, model and 'porn.'"

The Lewises identified themselves as the "CEO's" of "Sinful Innocence," according to a federal complaint drafted by Homeland Security Agent Timothy W. Irving.

Arrests were made in the parking lot of the 5th Alarm strip club on Worthington Street on Thursday.

Milford and Tiana Lewis

Two witnesses told investigators they were asked to meet the Lewises, with respective street names of "Bandz" and "Innocence," at Tower Square in downtown Springfield to sign their prostitution contracts. "During the meeting, Milford and Tiana made it clear to the women that they would engage in prostitution and that they were to split the proceeds with Milford and Tiana," the complaint reads.

The women were instructed to go to a home at 32 Longhill St. to wait for calls from customers, though none came, the witnesses said.

The women were subsequently instructed to service customers at the Springfield Inn and Express Inn in West Springfield, court records state. When one of the women had second thoughts and balked, according to the complaint, the couple responded that they would "f*** her up" if she did not pay $350 to break the contract.

The motel "dates" were labeled "in-call," while the trysts outside the motels were characterized as "out-call," the complaint states. Special rates were offered for "double dates" with multiple women, it adds.

When the second witness asked for a better cut of the prostitution proceeds, and then informed the couple she wanted to quit the business, Milford Lewis informed the woman she could never "get out of the game." The couple then demanded $350 from that woman to terminate her contract. When she could not immediately come up with the money, the complaint states, Tiana began threatening the woman and her family. "If I have to come to Connecticut to settle this sh*t there's going to be a problem," Tiana Lewis told the witness during a phone call recorded by federal agents.

The calls continued as recently as earlier this month, according to court records, and the women reported that Milford Lewis, or "Bandz," who sobbed nearly throughout his entire court appearance on Thursday, has a Taser, a machete and a black hand gun.

Yet another woman (identified in court documents as Female D) called West Springfield police in November, and officers found her screaming and bleeding outside the Express Inn.

"Female D told the officers that she was being pimped out by a man and a woman on sex pages on the Internet," the complaint states. "Female D said the two had recruited her at a methadone clinic and that (the three of them) were living at a hotel and she was being paid to have sex with people."

The woman told police that the couple beat her up when she refused to have sex with a customer.

"The officers observed blood coming out of Female D's nose and her eyes were black and blue," Irving wrote.

On Dec. 11, an undercover West Springfield police officer arranged for an "interview" with the couple at the food court in Tower Square. During a brief meeting and negotiation, "Bandz" offered the undercover officer a 50/50 or 60/40 split of profits and informed her that their business was built on fetishes. The hourly rate was approximately $200, according to the complaint. He presented the officer with a yearly contract at the close of the meeting, court records state.

He wrapped up the meeting by asking the undercover officer if she was a member of law enforcement. "The (undercover) laughed at him and asked 'Do I look like a cop?'" the complaint states.

The other unnamed witnesses also told investigators of similar beatings outside hotels, with one sharing an anecdote about getting a reward of a pack of cigarettes if she "pulled four dates in a day," the complaint states. The woman said when she asked after her "reward," she was made by Milford Lewis to stand in a tub of ice cold water, lest she risk a beating.

Another shared her experience of being bumped from "bottom bitch," yet another counter-intuitive phrase to describe the top prostitute in a hierarchy, according to investigators. The woman's role was usurped by another prostitute Tiana Lewis recruited from Ohio, the witness said.

Both Lewises were temporarily held without bail after their arrests on Thursday. Defense lawyers David Hoose and Frank Flannery, for Milford and Tiana Lewis respectively, said they expect they will make arguments for their clients' pretrial release in U.S. District Court next week.

Human trafficking convictions carry a sentence of 15 years to life in prison.