Illinois man charged 6 years after first arrest in pimping of 15-year-old girl: LCSO

LAKE COUNTY, Ill. - An Illinois man has been charged in connection with a human trafficking investigation that resulted in the arrest of a Round Lake Beach woman in 2019.

"There is nothing more revolting than taking the innocence away from a juvenile and promoting a child for prostitution," Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said at the time.

The backstory:

On July 12, 2019, Sheila Johnston – who was 33 years old at the time – was arrested for allegedly pimping a 15-year-old girl whom she had legal guardianship of.

According to the Lake County Sheriff's Office, Johnston posted an online advertisement attempting to sell the girl for sex. Undercover detectives saw the post and began communicating with Johnston, who allegedly agreed to offer both the girl and herself for sex.

Sheila Johnston | Lake County Sheriff's Office

Johnston then reportedly took the girl to a hotel in Waukegan, where she met an undercover detective posing as a customer. Johnson was taken into custody, and the girl was turned over to child welfare workers with the state's Department of Children and Family Services.

Now, six years later, 51-year-old Jose Puga was arrested in connection with the case.

Authorities said as the investigation progressed, new evidence and witnesses came to light, providing detectives with "sufficient proof" to link Puga, of Wonder Lake, to the crimes perpetrated against the 15-year-old girl.

Jose Puga | LCSO

An arrest warrant was issued for Puga and on Tuesday, he turned himself in at the Lake County Jail. A detention hearing was set for Tuesday.

He's been charged with the following:

• Three counts of Involuntary Sexual Servitude of a Minor (Class X Felony)
• Three counts of Trafficking in Persons (Class 1 Felony)
• Six counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Abuse (Class 2 Felony)

What they're saying:

Sheriff Idleburg commented on the update.

"While the investigation was lengthy, the relentless dedication of the investigators ensured that those responsible for victimizing this child were brought to justice," he said.