Roving prostitution ring busted in hotel sting

Armed with a handgun, a convicted felon slipped from state to state in recent months with several prostitutes forced to work for him, according to Indianapolis metro police.

Terrence Tatum ran Internet ads that lured men to enjoy sex with five women for $500, police said, or choose from several other less expensive options with women nicknamed "Marvelous," "Candy" or "Vegas," among others.

One of those forced to work for Tatum was a 17-year-old girl, police said.

Tatum, 26, reached the end of the line last Wednesday, however, when one of the clients answering his ad for "2 & 3 girl specials" turned out to be an undercover detective with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

The plainclothes officer showed up that day at a Northwestside hotel north of 86th Street and west of Michigan Road.

When the detective went to the room, he was greeted by one woman clad in a towel and another wearing lingerie. A third woman, who was clothed, was also present.

Once the detective paid his $300 and chatted briefly with the women, the first woman removed her towel and lay on a bed, police said. The other two took off their clothes and asked the detective to do the same. Instead, he divulged that he was a police officer and called for backup.

Detectives then watched as the women received texts from Tatum, police said, and peered through a peephole of the hotel room's door as Tatum paced outside in a hallway. Finally, police arrested Tatum along with one of the women, a 19-year-old described as helping Tatum oversee the other women. She faces a charge of promoting prostitution.

The 17-year-old girl told police Tatum never paid her and threatened to kill her when she asked to go home to Mississippi.

An 18-year-old woman told police she was being "forced" to work as a prostitute by Tatum, according to court documents.

The 19-year-old woman who was arrested told police that she was scared of Tatum, police said, because he carried a handgun and she believed he would kill her if she ever defied his wishes. That woman said Tatum had been her "pimp" for two years. She bore his name tattooed on her right shoulder, police said. The woman also said Tatum had battered her previously, police said.

Tatum has prior convictions for armed robbery and other offenses, police said, and was carrying a handgun in his belongings at the time of his arrest. Though he has bounced from state to state, he is believed most recently to be from Memphis, Tenn., police said.

He is charged with promotion of human trafficking, promoting prostitution and carrying a handgun without a license, according to court documents. Tatum also had an outstanding warrant in connection with a probation violation in Arkansas, police said.

Tatum appeared Tuesday in Marion Superior Court for an initial hearing. A review of counsel hearing is set for May 20.

Call Star reporter Bill McCleery at (317) 444-6083. Follow him on Twitter: @BillMcCleery01.