The man who generated fake news about a long-abandoned homeless camp he claimed was used by child sex-traffickers Michael “Lewis Arthur” Meyer, was arrested on Sunday by Tucson police.
Meyer, who is best known as “Lewis Arthur,” was arrested at the site of the abandoned homeless camp located within the Cemex Concrete Company property located near I-19 and Valencia within the Tucson City Limits. Meyer was arrested for trespassing on the Cemex property and for an outstanding warrant associated with an assault charge after he failed to appear in court on Tuesday, July 17, 2018.
Meyer was transported to the Pima County Jail where he was booked on the warrant and the new trespassing charge.
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Prior to his arrest, Meyer “occupied” a tower on the Cemex property for 9 days. Meyer has a history of such actions dating back to 2014 at the Bundy Ranch in Nevada and repeated violations in the State of Arizona. He engaged in criminal trespass activities in Surprise, AZ; established a homeless encampment in Phoenix and another in Mesa, AZ.
Meyer recently became associated with a homeless encampment on private property behind Santa Rita Park in Tucson. According to authorities, the encampment produced a series of public safety concerns for the property owner. After being informed that his encampment was no longer welcome behind Santa Rita, Meyer directed his efforts elsewhere. He eventually found the abandoned homeless encampment on Cemex property and fictitiously declared, without evidence or corroboration, that the area was the site of a sex-trafficking ring.
Meyer’s bizarre claims were then reported by media outlets and garnered Meyer national attention.
Meyer’s various representations and claims were thoroughly investigated by the Tucson Police Department (TPD). No evidence of sex-trafficking was located as a result of the Tucson Police investigation. At one point several weeks ago, Meyer agreed to vacate the Cemex property. Contrary to this agreement, Meyer chose to return and trespass by illegally occupying the tower on the Cemex property, according to TPD.
Despite continued efforts to work with Meyer by city officials and community members, the Tucson Police Department has received complaints from various members of the Santa Rita Park Neighborhood Association as well as from other community residents that Meyer and some of his followers have threatened and intimidated them.
Through social media, Meyer has made multiple threatening and hostile remarks directed towards various elected and appointed officials.
TPD reports that it is working with Cemex executives to limit access to their property. Authorities will also be working with various homeless advocacy groups and other social service groups to help relocate any homeless individuals impacted by the closure of Meyer-associated encampments in Tucson involving trespass on private property, according to TPD.