Lake County sheriffs arrest 27 men in human trafficking sting
The Lake County Sheriff's Office announced on Saturday that they've arrested 27 men following a two-day human trafficking suppression operation earlier this week.
The office said the operation specifically targeted individuals attempting to purchase sex through online classified advertisements—a tactic regularly used by traffickers to market victims.
Undercover detectives posed as individuals offering sex for money. When the suspects arrived at a Gurnee-area hotel and offered money for sexual acts, they were arrested and taken to the Lake County Jail.
Two of the suspects resisted arrest during the operation. A detective in one instance received minor injuries after being kneed in the face, and the other caused damage to a hotel hallway.
Each suspect was charged with one count of soliciting a sexual act. They were cited, processed at the Lake County Jail, and released pending a court date.
Those arrested during the operation include:
- 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
- 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 property damage.
- 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 kneeing a detective in the face, causing injury.
- Charles A. Lintner, 35, of Johnsburg
- Argyll Piansay, 61, of Gurnee. He was also charged with attempt possession of 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
- Carl R. Weber, 35, of Muskego, Wisconsin
- John Garcia, 53, of Kenosha
Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said in a statement:
"These operations are about protecting victims and holding sex buyers accountable. Suppressing the demand is a critical piece of dismantling the human trafficking pipeline. If there is no buyer, there is no market."
The Gurnee Police Department and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service assisted in the operation.
