Elmhurst Business Warned On Prostitution

ELMHURST, IL – Elmhurst police earlier this year issued a chronic nuisance warning to Clarion Inn in response to two reported instances of prostitution.

The incidents occurred Feb. 25 and March 13 at the hotel, which is at 933 S. Riverside Drive, near Route 83, police said.

In a March 17 letter, Deputy Police Chief Jim Gandy told the hotel that the city could assess fines if at least three nuisance activities occur within the following six months at the business.

As required, Clarion Inn filed a response with the city on how it plans to end the nuisance. Patch obtained the documents through a public records request.

During the slow winter months, Clarion Inn sets prices "a tad bit lower" to stay competitive, but it is not driving low rates to increase occupancy, according to the hotel's response.

"We understand that low rates can drive in the wrong type of guest," Tesh Gandhi, Clarion Inn's sales manager, said in the response. "We are not engaging in this type of rate management."

He said the two previous incidents do not paint an accurate picture of the hotel's management, regular guests or overall performance.

During the spring and summer, rates are lifted to accommodate higher demand, Gandhi said.

"Naturally, there will be less and less opportunities for nuisance types of behavior with rates rising further into the year. We will continue to keep a close eye and be totally engaged at our property."

According to its response, the hotel has policies to deter guests from engaging in nuisance behavior, including:

• Not accepting cash or gift cards.
• Keeping staff certified in Choice Hotels' training titled "Preventing Human Trafficking: Recognize the Signs."
• Posting security cameras throughout the common areas.
• Keeping the parking lot well lit.
• Not renting to past troublesome guests.
• Using an intercom system at the front desk that locks doors at night, allowing only guests with keys to be buzzed in when it's late.
• Not advertising or promoting long-term or extended stays.
• Working with police to be trained on observing certain patterns and behaviors.

"We do not condone any nuisance activities at our facility and would remove guests that do not adhere to our policies," Gandhi said.

On Feb. 25, a 45-year-old Wood Dale woman was charged with prostitution at the hotel.

Her boyfriend, a 46-year-old Blue Island man, and a friend, a 31-year-old Orland Park woman, were found with crack cocaine, police said.

They were charged with unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. The 31-year-old woman was also charged with obstructing identification.

On March 13, a 57-year-old was charged with soliciting and advertising for prostitution, police said.

In September, a man was accused of inviting two female prostitutes to his room at Clarion Inn, police said.

While they were listening to music, one of the women took his phone to change the song, but then used it to access Venmo and Zelle to transfer money from his account, police said.

Police reports indicated that officers also responded to cases involving prostitution in August and November at Extended Stay America hotel, 550 W. Grand Ave.

Both hotels received chronic nuisance warnings from the city last year.