Chicago man sentenced to 28 years for running sex trafficking operation, kidnapping 2 victims

A Chicago man has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for running a violent sex trafficking operation out of his home and motels in south suburban Lansing.

Federal prosecutors accused 34-year-old Dennis Williams of trafficking five young victims, including a 15-year-old girl, and kidnapping two of them.

In March 2025, a jury convicted Williams on five counts of sex trafficking and two counts of kidnapping, following a week-long trial. At his sentencing hearing last week, U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland sentenced him to 28 years in prison.

Prosecutors have said Williams used threats, violence, drugs, and other coercive means to force the five victims to engage in commercial sex acts. He also allegedly often restrained or assaulted his victims to force them into having sex for money and then handing over the proceeds to him.

One of his victims was a 17-year-old girl he repeatedly assaulted and forced to help him traffic his other victims.

Prosecutors said Williams kidnapped one of his victims by luring him into his truck on Aug. 2, 2022, and driving away. The victim managed to escape by jumping out of the truck.

On Jan. 10, 2023, Williams allegedly kidnapped another victim, held her in his closet overnight, and forced her to have sex with strangers for money. That victim escaped by jumping out of his second-floor window and running to a nearby public library, according to prosecutors.

Williams was still being held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in downtown Chicago on Tuesday. It was unclear where he would serve his prison sentence.

If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.