Inside Chicago's prostitution crisis: After years of complaints, undercover sting exposes widespread sex trade

Busted on the block: Inside Chicago's prostitution crisis

A Chicago neighborhood is being overrun by open-air prostitution from street corners to backyards, leaving residents exhausted, angry and demanding action. After years of complaints and countless 911 calls, an undercover sting exposes just how rampant the problem has become.

CHICAGO - For years, residents living just steps from Midway Airport have watched their Southwest Side neighborhood transform from a quiet community into what many now describe as an overnight red-light district.

What we know:

Shocking videos taken by neighbors in July 2024 show scantily clad and sometimes nude women walking the blocks between 47th and 50th Streets near Cicero Avenue, often before sunrise. Cars line the streets at all hours, headlights flickering like signals, as men circle the block searching for sex.

"It’s like a traffic highway between 11:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m.," one resident said.

Another longtime resident told FOX Chicago he can no longer park in his alley because of the steady stream of vehicles.

"We’re tired of it"

What they're saying:

Residents say prostitution has spilled beyond the main corridors and deep into the neighborhood alleys, front yards, and even backyards. One man who’s lived in the area for 12 years asked to hide his identity out of fear, saying:

"They’ve pushed into the neighborhoods where they're doing their thing… It’s not uncommon to see them walking around," he said.

Families say they’ve tried everything. They’ve filed complaint after complaint, but the calls keep coming in. Records from Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management show 31 prostitution-related 911 calls in just 24 hours in August 2025.

Caught on camera

In one early-morning video shared with FOX Chicago, a woman is seen performing a sex act inside a parked car, in full view of homes where children live and play.

Residents say scenes like this have been happening for more than a decade.

Police step in

After FOX Chicago began asking questions, 22nd Ward Alderman Michael Rodriguez and 23rd Ward Alderwoman Silvana Tabares pressed for more enforcement.

That led to an extensive undercover operation with the Cook County Sheriff’s Police. FOX Chicago joined deputies during the sting, which targeted the buyers — the "johns" driving demand.

Within minutes of setting up in the same spots where women solicit, undercover officers made their first arrests. Over four hours, eight men were taken into custody, their vehicles searched and towed. Each faced hefty fines totaling thousands of dollars.

Lt. Jim Draz of the Cook County Sheriff’s Police says the message is simple.

"Actions have consequences. If you don’t want to get cited, stay away — because we’re here, and we’re not going anywhere," Draz said.

Why not arrest pimps?

Residents asked why police weren’t targeting pimps, too.

Lt. Draz says those investigations are ongoing, but street-level stings focus on reducing buyers and slowing traffic in the neighborhoods.

Weak laws, strong frustration

Another hurdle: Illinois eliminated felony prostitution charges in 2013 under Public Act 98-538, making the offense a misdemeanor.

Sheriff Tom Dart says that shift has made enforcement more challenging, even as residents beg for relief.

"They told me what was going on and showed me the video, I said, ‘Wow, wow, this is really, really bad,’" Dart said after meeting with neighbors.

The fight isn’t over

What's next:

Chicago police continue monitoring hotspots with aerial surveillance, and both CPD and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office say more unannounced stings are on the way.

Residents hope it’s enough to reclaim their neighborhood, a place they say has been overwhelmed for far too long.

As one neighbor put it: "People here have had enough."