OAN Staff Abril Elfi
12:01 PM – Saturday, June 28, 2025
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Chicago announced that 27 individuals were taken into custody following a two-day human trafficking sting operation conducted earlier this week.
On Saturday, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said that the sting focused on identifying people attempting to pay for sex through internet-based classified ads.
“While some may perceive prostitution as a consensual transaction between adults, experience and investigative work have consistently shown that many individuals being sold for sex are not participating willingly,” Covelli said.
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During the operation, undercover officers posed as individuals offering sex in exchange for money. When the suspects arrived at a hotel near Gurnee and agreed to pay for sexual services, they were promptly arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail.
Two of those arrested reportedly resisted. In one case, a detective sustained minor injuries after being struck in the face, while another suspect caused property damage in the hotel hallway.
“These operations are about protecting victims and holding sex buyers accountable,” said Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg. “Suppressing the demand is a critical piece of dismantling the human trafficking pipeline. If there is no buyer, there is no market.”
The men were identified as: Abelardo A. Velasquez, 30, of Beach Park; Robert L. Rowels, 39, of Ingleside; Jamir D. Holmes, 20, of Zion; Hakeem A. Moore, 22, of Great Lakes; Jesus Navarrete-Vega, 30, of Gurnee; Jesus M. Valdez, 28, of Zion; Tyree R.L. Alexander, 32, of Gurnee; Alexis M. Lopez, 31, of Park City; Adrion E. Reynolds, 21, of Park City; Daevieon Garland, 21, of Waukegan; Joshua L. Powell, 34, of Libertyville; Deybys Matute Moncada, 31, of Zion; Argyll Piansay, 61, of Gurnee; Andre L. Harevey, 41, of North Chicago; Ryan P. Gibbs, 26, of Libertyville; Ubaldo L. Sanchez, 28, of Waukegan; Jonathan R. Litson, 45, of Gurnee; and Essodong Tchakpala, 25, of Round Lake Beach.
All 27 suspects face a single charge of soliciting a sex act. Each was cited and processed at the jail before being released with a future court appearance scheduled.
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