Police: Human trafficking victim outsmarts suspect, leading to his arrest

SOUTHFIELD — “I was tricked into a sex trafficking situation.” 

That was part of a 911 call that the Southfield Police Department said it received at 11:58 p.m. Nov. 21 from a 32-year-old woman.

During the phone call, the woman told the dispatcher that Prenentice Orr, 41, from Wyoming, Michigan, was a gang member and that she feared for her life.

Police say the woman, who is homeless and from Georgia, was being held captive in room 232 at Sonesta Suites in Southfield and was allegedly forced to perform sex acts for money by Orr. According to police, Orr’s 4-year-old son was found in an adjacent hotel room. 

Orr and the woman reportedly met just two weeks prior after being introduced through a mutual friend. 

Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren believes that the mutual friend may have tricked the woman into being trafficked. Barren added that there was a second victim whose duties included tending to Orr’s young child. However, she has not been as cooperative in the investigation, likely out of fear, according to Barren. 

Barren said that in the span of two weeks, Orr had trafficked the victim in Georgia, Grand Rapids and other Michigan cities before his arrest in Southfield.

Barren added that Orr allegedly kept the victim on a liquid diet that consisted of sea moss and coffee so that she would lose weight. Orr also allegedly made her shower and brush her teeth five times a day. 

“As the victim slept, Orr would wake her up for potential clients by sexually assaulting her,” Barren said. “The victim advised officers that while in Michigan, Orr would set up dates for her and would use intimidation tactics to prevent her from leaving.” 

According to police, the woman told police that she was able to outsmart Orr and escape the room to get help. She purposefully left phone chargers in Orr’s vehicle, knowing that eventually he’d need the chargers and it would give her a chance to escape, police said. While in the lobby, the victim was reportedly able to phone the police with the help of a hotel employee.

According to the 911 call, the victim hid in the laundry room off the hotel lobby and asked the dispatcher to stay on the phone with her until police arrived on the scene, stating, “I’m just terrified. I’m beyond terrified.” 

When police arrived on the scene, body cam footage showed Orr in his hotel room, where he said, “I’m going to jail, right?” He then added: “For what? What’s my charge, bro?”

Orr was arraigned on Nov. 23 in 46th District Court with charges of felony torture, felony prostitution/transporting a person for prostitution, and felony human trafficking – forced labor. He was given a $3 million cash bond or surety. Orr’s lawyer, Scott Christopher Kozak, did not respond for comment by press time. Orr’s next court date is scheduled for Jan. 13 at 2:15 p.m. in 46th District Court. 

Southfield police revealed that Orr has a criminal history dating back to 1999, and Barren referred to him as a “career criminal.” 

“I’m hopeful that this incident is finally the one to put him away for a very long time,” Barren said. 

He added that the investigation is far from over. 

“We’re very confident in our approach and in our arrest, certainly commend the judge or magistrate in this particular instance, who set that $3 million bond. I’m gonna say it again: $3 million bond. 

“You hear law enforcement professionals get upset sometimes about what we believe should be higher bonds. That bond sets a tone for the stakes that Oakland County is going to have as it relates to human trafficking, provided we have information that we need to move forward in our investigation.”