A Tampa man is accused of forcing two sixteen-year-olds who he allegedly met on line, into prostitution. He is being held at the Hillsborough County Jail without bond on charges pertaining to human trafficking and prostitution.
According to the Tampa Police Department, shortly before midnight on Wednesday night, several police officers responded to the USA Inn, 2905 N. 50th Street, Room #216, in reference to a possible armed home invasion in progress. Once the officers arrived, they discovered the source of the disturbance was not a home invasion.
Officers discovered that a family member of a female juvenile was attempting to retrieve her from the room. The girl’s family had learned the victim was allegedly being forced into prostitution at the motel.
The manager of the motel called police as the cousin of one of the girls began kicking the door to the room in. the two female juveniles fled the scene before police arrived.
However, they were located and detectives interviewed both of them. One of the girls told police that Naba Raheem Lewis, 33, had rented two rooms at the motel, police said.
Based on the interview with the girls, police obtained a search warrant for both of the two rooms Lewis was renting. They obtained evidence that included $3,840 in cash, along with other evidence collected.
Lewis was taken into custody and charged with several crimes that included: procuring a person under age 18 for prostitution, deriving support from proceeds of prostitution, renting space for the purpose of prostitution, human trafficking for commercial sexual acts, false imprisonment, forcing another to become a prostitute, and unlawful use of a two-way communications. device.
