Joliet man charged with sex trafficking following undercover investigation
Further investigation revealed that Hardeman recruited the victim into commercial sex work last November.
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Further investigation revealed that Hardeman recruited the victim into commercial sex work last November.
Some state lawmakers are proposing legislation that would eliminate criminal penalties for adults involved in consensual sex work.
It was not clear late Friday whether any arrests had been made.
Neighbors say much of the illegal activity is spilling into the alleyways - which are right behind their homes.
We have covered the issue in the Southwest Side neighborhood before, and now, neighbors say it is more rampant than ever. CBS 2's Marybel Gonzalez reports.
There are disturbing details and arrests following a months-long investigation into human trafficking, and the victims are all women from South America.
Brendan Kennedy-Gasior, 37, is facing felony charges of promoting prostitution.
Brendan Kennedy-Gasior, 37, is facing felony charges of promoting prostitution.
Sex trafficking is a complicated problem that for many reasons is difficult for law enforcement to address and enforce.
Sex trafficking is a complicated problem that for many reasons is difficult for law enforcement to address and enforce. But as CBS 2's Joe Donlon found as he rode along for a sting operation earlier this summer, those challenges are not stopping efforts to fight trafficking.
Residents say they have reported it to police and the alderman, but the problem keeps getting worse.
The residents say they have reported it to police and the alderman, but the problem keeps getting worse. CBS 2's Marybel González reports.
"He requested an attorney," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said Wednesday. "Well judge, you need an attorney. You got problems."
A West Rogers Park building has been torn down after authorities conducted a raid there this week.
The FBI on Wednesday was asking for help in finding potential victims and information about two truck drivers – one of them from Chicago – who are accused of kidnapping women and demanding ransom for their release.
A man stood charged Saturday with running a prostitution operation out of his Bridgeport neighborhood apartment.
Under Florida law, most evidence is made public when given to defendants. That hasn't happened yet with the videos, and lawyers for Kraft and the other men want to pre-empt it, arguing that evidence shouldn't be made public until the investigation is complete, if ever.
According to police records, Kraft was chauffeured to the massage parlor in a 2014 white Bentley on the evening of Jan. 19, where officers say they secretly videotaped him engaging in a sex act and then handing over an undetermined amount of cash.
A massage parlor in south suburban Orland Park has been shut down and a masseuse is charged with prostitution after she allegedly offered to perform a sex act on an undercover officer in exchange for money, according to police.
Luis Zacarias-Ahumada, 39, was charged Friday with two counts of promoting prostitution.
Four men were arrested for soliciting a prostitute along the state line between Calumet City and Hammond, police say.
Investigators appear to be interested in her ties to longtime Donald Trump adviser Roger Stone, whom she has known for a decade.
The federal government sealed the website known for selling sex.
A Chicago man was promised a finder's fee of a couple hundred dollars to recruit a teenage girl to work as a prostitute.
Some 2,500 sex buyers thought they were chatting with prostitutes Ariel, Brook or Cari. But these were really software programs.
Hundreds of new jobs are coming to Gary, Indiana. U.S. Steel said it's planning to restart the Gary Tin Mill at the company's facility.
The Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) and the United Steelworkers union have reached a tentative agreement, two weeks after the utility locked out 1,600 workers amid a contract dispute.
A group of community leaders, city officials, and teenagers had a conversation on Thursday about how to keep teen takeovers safe and prevent them from getting out of hand.
Junior Caminero homered and the Tampa Rays scored twice on bases-loaded walks in the ninth inning, rallying for a 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.
A tree planting initiative has kicked off in Chatham, among the Chicago neighborhoods most plagued by flooding, to help with the persistent problem.
Chicago residents, businesses, and city employees altogether owe the city more than $8.1 billion in overdue debt, some of it dating back to the 1990s, according to a report from the city's inspector general.
But underground construction work on a presidential bunker underneath the ballroom can continue, the judge said.
The City of Chicago on Thursday kicked off bus tours as part of its new reparations initiative.
Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife and then turned the gun on himself what police described as a murder-suicide in their home in Annandale, Virginia, police said Thursday.
A coalition of banks, credit unions, and card companies argue that Illinois lawmakers must repeal the state's first-in-the-nation Interchange Fee Prohibition Act, slated to take effect July 1.
A passenger on an American Airlines flight from New York to Chicago has been charged with making a false bomb threat that forced an emergency landing at Detroit Metro Airport last month, according to a federal criminal complaint.
Skyrocketing property taxes continue to be a hot-button issue in Cook County — particularly since last fall, when many residents saw their tax bills increase by 100% or more.
Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias this weekend issued a warning about a surge in text messages that falsely claim to come from his office or the DMV within it.
Tenants at a South Loop luxury high-rise that has been plagued with problems like broken elevators are vowing to fight five-day eviction notices.
It's become an annual March Madness tradition at CBS Chicago, pitting our city's best eateries in direct competition in a foodie bracket challenge. We did pizza, we've done Italian beef, we've done Chicago dogs. This year, we're taking flight with wings.
It has been several weeks since West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, Illinois, abruptly shut down — and then on Wednesday, it just as swiftly partially reopened, with some services available.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 80% of deaths related to pregnancy are preventable, and Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women.
The United States has long struggled with understanding and finding ways to help treat mental illness. A new documentary, which is screening Saturday in Chicago, examines the reality of living with mental illness in America.
Allergy season is here, and the dreaded pollen can trigger sneezing, congestion, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
Northwestern Medicine and the American Red Cross teamed up for a community blood drive in Chicago on Monday morning.
A new restaurant has joined the busy stretch of Halsted Street toward the south end of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood that is also home to Alinea and Boka.
The federal government is suing Illinois, Connecticut and Arizona over efforts to regulate prediction market operators such as Kalshi and Polymarket.
The owners of the popular Uncommon Ground restaurant, live music venue, and brewery in Chicago's Wrigleyville community announced this week that they're looking for a successor to take over the business.
Chicago consistently ranks in the top three cities in Fortune 500 company headquarters, and now a competition has been launched to build on Chicago's power in business.
The flagship Ann Sather restaurant on Belmont Avenue in Chicago's Lakeview community will be moving later this year, a restaurant representative said Tuesday.
Blues icon and world music pioneer Taj Mahal will be headlining the Chicago Blues Festival this June.
The United States has long struggled with understanding and finding ways to help treat mental illness. A new documentary, which is screening Saturday in Chicago, examines the reality of living with mental illness in America.
Afrika Bambaataa, a rapper and producer, was best known for breakthrough tracks like 1982's "Planet Rock" and for founding the Universal Zulu Nation art collective.
Mozart's "Don Giovanni," the local premiere of the 2022 opera "Omar," and a fresh production of "Guys and Dolls" are among the highlights of the 2026-2027 season for Chicago's Lyric Opera.
Federal magistrate Renee Harris Toliver told Pooh Sheisty that the evidence against him is strong.
The Blackhawks bid their farewells on Thursday after wrapping up another last-place season with a 5-2 win over San Jose on Wednesday. With a pair of assists, Connor Bedard finished the year with a career-high 75 points. With his rookie contract expiring, Bedard's agent and the team are trying to hammer out a big-money extension. The former No. 1 overall draft pick isn't sweating his new contract.
Chief meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest First Alert Weather forecast.
Hundreds of new jobs are coming to Gary, Indiana. U.S. Steel said it's planning to restart the Gary Tin Mill at the company's facility by early next year.
A looming jet fuel shortage in Europe and Asia sparked by the Iran war and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz could further upend world travel within weeks if oil doesn’t start flowing soon.
The Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) and the United Steelworkers union have reached a tentative agreement, two weeks after the utility locked out 1,600 workers amid a contract dispute.
A South Side community is mourning the death of a 16-year-old boy killed in a shooting just steps from his school.
A shooting by Illinois State Police that killed a 24-year-old man was caught on surveillance video in Woodlawn.
The Des Plaines River has seen near-record flooding in northwest suburban Des Plaines, and officials fear levels could reach major flood stage this weekend with more rain in the forecast.
The FAA is ordering flight reductions at Chicago O'Hare of more than 300 trips per day over the busy summer travel season.
Hundreds of new jobs are coming to Gary, Indiana. U.S. Steel said it's planning to restart the Gary Tin Mill at the company's facility.
A tree planting initiative has kicked off in Chatham, among the Chicago neighborhoods most plagued by flooding, to help with the persistent problem.
Chicago residents, businesses, and city employees altogether owe the city more than $8.1 billion in overdue debt, some of it dating back to the 1990s, according to a report from the city's inspector general.
Some parents in southwest suburban Oswego are fired up, saying the school district invited all non-white students to participate in summer remedial programming, regardless of how they're doing in school.
New proposed Illinois legislation would allow renters or people who can't install massive rooftop panels to also harness the power of the sun.
When a rusty light pole snapped and fell on a woman's car in Bucktown, causing thousands of dollars in damage, she thought the city would pay for it. She was wrong.
Junior Caminero homered and the Tampa Rays scored twice on bases-loaded walks in the ninth inning, rallying for a 5-3 win over the Chicago White Sox.
The Blackhawks won four of their last 15 games and three of their last 11 home games, but finished with 72 points, 11 more than last season.
Nico Hoerner drove in a career-high five runs, Shota Imanaga struck out 11 in six strong innings and the Chicago Cubs routed the Philadelphia Phillies 11-2 on Wednesday night.
Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Noah Schultz had an uneven major league debut in a start against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night after being recalled from Triple-A Charlotte.
Ben Williamson doubled twice and drove in three runs as Tampa Bay spoiled the major league debut of White Sox starter Nick Schultz.
A well-known café and newsstand in Chicago's Portage Park neighborhood was damaged early Thursday morning when a stolen car that police were pursuing crashed into it.
Gregory Morgan Jr. of Temple Hills, Maryland, was charged Thursday morning with two counts of second-degree assault in the Feb. 5 incident.
Members of the Cook County State's Attorney's office visited CTA train stations across Chicago on Thursday.
Former Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax shot and killed his wife and then turned the gun on himself what police described as a murder-suicide in their home in Annandale, Virginia, police said Thursday.
Chicago police on Wednesday issued an expanded community alert about a rash of incidents in which thieves broke into vehicles and stole construction equipment in and around downtown Chicago.
