Man Ran Suburban Prostitution Ring, Threatened, Beat Girls: Prosecutor

WHEATON, IL — A 55-year-old Chicago man faces criminal charges after prosecutors said that he set up a prostitution ring in the suburbs and posted online ads for meetups for sexual encounters at several locations, including a Lombard hotel.

Heggie Carr was denied pre-trial release on Friday after he was charged with two counts of involuntary servitude and two counts of trafficking in persons for labor, the DuPage County State’s Attorney said in a news release.

Carr was charged after Illinois State Police officials received word in September that an 18-year-old woman had reportedly become the victim of sex trafficking by Carr, prosecutors said. Prosecutors allege that Carr placed several online ads offering sexual encounters with women at several locations, including the Sonesta Suites ES in Lombard.

On Wednesday, undercover police officers arranged for sexual services at the hotel through an ad prosecutors said was posted by Carr. Prosecutors said that Carr was present at the time of the appointment. Investigators said that Carr left the hotel upon the officer’s arrival and that he was arrested shortly after.

Further investigation found that Carr allegedly directed the victims to have sex for money and then gave him all the proceeds, the state’s attorney said. Prosecutors claim that Carr forced the women into prostitution every day, threatened their lives as well as the lives of their family members if they did not do as they were told, and beat at least one of the victims daily.

“The charges against Mr. Carr are in a word, appalling,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said. “The alleged exploitation of these young victims, who were forced into the sex trade and trapped there by the use of deadly threats, should send a chill down the spine of each and every one of us.”

Carr is due back in court on Dec. 11 and if convicted, faces up to 30 years in prison.