Illinois State Police arrest 4 men during two-day human trafficking operation

LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. - Illinois State Police (ISP) arrested four men during a two-day human trafficking demand suppression operation in Lincolnshire this week.

What we know:

The operation, which took place on February 25-26, targeted individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts.

The following men were arrested and charged with multiple offenses:

• Timothy Hansen, 57, of Lake Bluff
• Elijah Newell, 40, of Chicago
• Sean Powers, 38, of Geneva
• Edas Romero-Chinchilla, 32, of Round Lake Heights

Each of the men faces charges including:

• Traveling to meet a minor
• Indecent solicitation of a child
• Solicitation to meet a child
• Solicitation of a sexual act

The Investigation

Who Was Involved:

This operation was part of ISP’s broader efforts to combat human trafficking in Illinois. It involved multiple law enforcement units, including:

• ISP special agents
• Officers from ISP Troops 3 and 6
• ISP SWAT
• North Central Narcotics Task Force
• Intelligence Support Unit
• Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office also provided support during the operation.

Big picture view:

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel individuals into commercial sex acts or forced labor. Authorities say this ongoing initiative aims to protect vulnerable individuals and dismantle trafficking networks across the state.

ISP continues to conduct statewide human trafficking enforcement operations and urges the public to report suspicious activity.