3 Charged In Human Trafficking Sting At Spa

the Lake & McHenry County Scanner:

By Sam Borcia | November 19, 2020 4:22 pm

<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-15335" src="https://www.lakemchenryscanner.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Nam.jpg" alt="" width="796" height="515" srcset="https://www.lakemchenryscanner.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Nam.jpg 850w, https://www.lakemchenryscanner.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Nam-300x194.jpg 300w, https://www.lakemchenryscanner.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Nam-768x497.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 796px) 100vw, 796px" />Unhui K. Wilcox, 57, and Hyun J. Nam, 59.

Three women were charged and multiple workers were rescued during a human trafficking sting conducted by local and federal authorities at a Spring Grove spa.

McHenry County State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally announced that the county’s Human Trafficking Task Force along with the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigations executed an operation on Wednesday.

The sting operation took place at the Spring Spa, 2020 Route 12 in Spring Grove.

Police say that Unhui K. Wilcox, 57, and Hyun J. Nam, 59, were both arrested and charged with promoting prostitution, a Class 4 felony.

A criminal complaint alleges the two women advanced, managed and profited from prostitution performed at the spa. A third woman, Jial Lee, was charged with prostitution.

Kenneally said the investigation took weeks of work by law enforcement, which included surveillance and undercover operations and involved investigators, service providers and interpreters.

Multiple workers were removed from the spa and authorities offered them housing and psychological treatment.

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Law enforcement seized approximately $26,000 in cash and over $10,000 in checks during the raid, Kenneally said.

“Thank you to the police departments and federal agencies that participated in the Task Force as we continue to confront the urgent problem of human trafficking in all its forms throughout the County,” Kenneally said.

The McHenry County Human Trafficking Task Force is made up of the Algonquin Police Department, Cary Police Department, Crystal Lake Police Department, Huntley Police Department, Illinois State Police, Lake in the Hills Police Department, Johnsburg Police Department, McHenry City Police Department, Spring Grove Police Department and Woodstock Police Department.

“I want to thank all the law enforcement agencies that participated in this investigation; the coordination was terrific,” Spring Grove Police Chief Thomas Sanders said.

Lake and McHenry County Scanner is a local breaking news website covering issues that matter such as shootings, stabbings, house fires, kidnappings, car accidents, and more around Lake County and McHenry County.