4 men face human trafficking charges after police operation
Four men face multiple felony charges after a two-day Illinois State Police human trafficking suppression operation this week in the Lincolnshire area.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the state police division of criminal investigation trafficking enforcement bureau focused on identifying people seeking to engage in commercial sex acts as part of a multifaceted approach to stop human trafficking in Illinois, according to a press release.
Police identified the men as Timothy Hansen, 57, of Lake Bluff; Elijah Newell, 40, of Chicago; Sean Powers, 38, of Geneva; and, Edas Romero-Chinchilla, 32, of Round Lake Heights.
Each was charged with one count of traveling to meet a minor and indecent solicitation, class 3 felonies; solicitation to meet a minor, a class 4 felony; and, solicitation of sexual activity, a class A misdemeanor, according to the Lake County state’s attorney’s office.
All four men responded to an online advertisement posted by an undercover agent and engaged in text message conversations where the agent explicitly said she was underage, according to a press release from the state’s attorney’s office. Each continued to arrange to meet with the agent and proceeded to an agreed-upon location, the release said.
A Lake County judge Thursday granted the state’s petitions and Hansen and Newell were detained. Powers and Romero-Chinchilla were to have detention hearings Friday afternoon.
Those charged with sex offenses such as in these cases are no longer able to use cash to secure their release awaiting trial. Judges determine who should be held before trial by assessing whether the person is a flight risk or danger to the community, according to the state’s attorney’s office.
State police special agents, officers and analysts as well as the North Central Narcotics Task Force and Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group partnered in the operation, police said.
Human trafficking is the use of force, fraud or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts, labor or services against their will, according to the release. To recognize the signs of human trafficking or for more information visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org or email ISP.CrimeTips@illinois.gov. If you suspect human trafficking, call the hotline (888) 373-7888 or text *233733.