A recent Cook County Sheriff’s Department Super Bowl sex trafficking sting has netted more than 100 arrests, including five alleged sex buyers in Arlington Heights, authorities said on Wednesday.
The local law enforcement initiative was part of the National Super Bowl Sex Trafficking Sting, which took place from Jan. 18 through Feb. 5, Super Bowl Sunday, and led to the arrests of more than 700 alleged sex buyers and 29 alleged sex traffickers across the U.S., according to a statement from Cook County Sheriff Thomas Dart.
In addition to the Cook County Sheriff’s Department, other local law enforcement agencies participating in the recent sting initiative include: the Arlington Heights Police Department, with five arrests; the Lansing Police Department, with six arrests; the Matteson Police Department with 11 arrests; and the Lake County Sheriff’s Police, with two arrests.
Arrest and booking photos are provided by law enforcement officials. Arrest does not imply guilt, and criminal charges are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless proved guilty and convicted.
Among the incidents reported in the nationwide sting were an alleged sex seller in Houston who was shot in the head by an alleged sex buyer; an alleged buyer who had his 4-year-old son with him; and three alleged buyers who were arrested in connection with attempts to solicit a minor for commercial sex, authorities said.
According to offender data, sex buyers are more likely to be white, at least high school educated, and in many cases, college educated, middle-aged-or-older men, with many who are married, and very few who are unemployed, authorities said.
Among those who are involved in prostitution, authorities said most report they started before they turned 21, used drugs – most often highly addictive drugs such as heroin and crack cocaine – with a majority reporting they had experienced violence against them, including sexual assault, as an adult of child.
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