6 men arrested in Will County human trafficking sting
CHICAGO - Six men were arrested in an anti-human trafficking operation in Will County this week.
The men were each charged with soliciting a sex act from a minor and traveling to meet a minor, a statement from the Illinois State Police said.
The operation was conducted Wednesday and Thursday by the state police Division of Criminal Investigation Trafficking Enforcement Bureau, and focused on finding people who were attempting to engage in commercial sex acts with minors.
[Clockwise from top left] Enrique Aldaz Garcia, Mario Lucas Garcia, Carlos Mejia, Raymond Peterson, Ismael Zamora Ruiz, and Yousef Alkawaja Saad. (Illinois State Police)
The arrests in Will County included:
- Enrique Aldaz Garcia, 31, of Chicago;
- Mario Lucas Garcia, 56, of Joliet;
- Carlos Mejia, 27, of Chicago;
- Raymond Peterson, 56, of Lockport;
- Ismael Zamora Ruiz, 55, of Bolingbrook; and
- Yousef Alkawaja Saad, 63, of Lombard.
"ISP is increasing its efforts to protect those who are vulnerable to human trafficking, forced labor, and sexual servitude," said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. Anyone who thinks about feeding the demand for human trafficking should know that ISP could be waiting behind a door for them with handcuffs."
Kelly said state police conducted a similar operation in Springfield which resulted in the arrests of eight people.
If you suspect human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text *233733. For more information visit humantraffickinghotline.org. You can also email ISP.Crime.Tips@illinois.gov.