Chicago area ‘human trafficking’ operation results in 27 arrests, police say
GURNEE, Ill. - More than two dozen men were arrested in connection with an operation that police said aimed to reduce human trafficking in north suburban Lake County.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Group conducted the two-day human trafficking "suppression operation" this week, resulting in the arrest of 27 men, police said.
More than two dozen men were arrested in what police called a human trafficking "suppression" operation in north suburban Lake County. (Lake County Sheriff's Office)
What we know:
Undercover detectives posed as individuals offering sex for money.
When the suspects arrived at a Gurnee-area hotel and allegedly offered money for sexual acts, they were arrested and taken to the Lake County Jail, police said. Each suspect was cited and released pending a court date.
Each of the suspects was charged with soliciting a sexual act. Two of them allegedly resisted arrest during the operation. One instance resulted in an officer receiving minor injuries and another caused damage to a hotel hallway.
The Sheriff’s Office listed each suspect arrested:
- Abelardo A. Velasquez, 30, of Beach Park
- Robert L. Rowels, 39, of Ingleside
- James A. Kavinsky, 30, of Niles
- Jamir D. Holmes, 20, of Zion
- Mathew Reynolds, 23, of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
- Jesus S. Munoz, 35, of Woodstock
- Hakeem A. Moore, 22, of Great Lakes
- Jesus Navarrete-Vega, 30, of Gurnee; he was also charged with resisting a police officer and criminal damage to property
- Jesus M. Valdez, 28, of Zion
- Tyree R.L. Alexander, 32, of Gurnee
- Alexis M. Lopez, 31, of Park City
- Adrion E. Reynolds, 21, of Park City
- Eryk P. Plawinski, 26, of Algonquin
- Daevieon Garland, 21, of Waukegan
- Joshua L. Powell, 34, of Libertyville
- Daniel Corona, 29, of Pleasant Prairie
- Deybys Matute Moncada, 31, of Zion; he was also charged with resisting a peace officer resulting in injury, and aggravated battery after allegedly kneeing a detective in the face, causing an injury
- Charles A. Lintner, 35, of Johnsburg
- Argyll Piansay, 61, of Gurnee; he was also charged with attempt possession of a controlled substance, cocaine.
- Andre L. Harevey, 41, of North Chicago
- Ryan P. Gibbs, 26, of Libertyville
- Ubaldo L. Sanchez, 28, of Waukegan
- Jonathan R. Litson, 45, of Gurnee
- Essodong Tchakpala, 25, of Round Lake Beach
- Adam S.W. Porwit, 26, of Twin Lakes, Wisconsin
- Carl R. Weber, 35, of Muskego, Wisconsin
- John Garcia, 53, of Kenosha, Wisconsin
The Sheriff’s Office explained that while prostitution is thought of as a consensual transaction between adults, many individuals being sold for sex are not willful participants.
"These operations are about protecting victims and holding sex buyers accountable," said Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg in a statement. "Suppressing the demand is a critical piece of dismantling the human trafficking pipeline. If there is no buyer, there is no market."