A 37-year-old man faces felony charges after he allegedly sex trafficked a missing 14-year-old girl, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today.
On Friday, Nov. 6, the Sheriff’s Police Special Victim’s Unit began its investigation after receiving information from the juvenile court that the juvenile was missing and was at a high risk of being trafficked.
The search for the juvenile continued until approximately 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 2 when officers found the victim and the alleged offender, 37-year-old Etheridge Nealy, of the 7200 block of South Evans Avenue in Chicago, in a vehicle parked in the 8200 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago.
Both were transported to the Sheriff’s Police headquarters in Maywood, where Nealy made post-Miranda statements that he rented motel rooms for the girl to engage in prostitution and provided transportation to calls. The victim relayed it was understood that she was to give all the money to Nealy.
Nealy faces charges that include felony trafficking of persons, felony promoting prostitution and felony involuntary servitude. He appeared in bond court Saturday, Dec. 5, and was given an $150,000 D bond.
The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the government in a court of law.