Chicago, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Two men have been indicted on federal sex trafficking charges for allegedly recruiting three victims, including a child, to engage in commercial sex acts by means of force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion.
KENDALL GUYTON, 25, of Joliet, and GREGORY INGRAM, 41, of Richton Park, are charged with conspiring to traffic three victims for the purposes of commercial sex, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. One of the victims was under 18 years old when Guyton and Ingram enticed her to engage in a commercial sex act for the defendants’ financial benefit, the indictment states. The alleged trafficking occurred in 2017 and 2018.
Both defendants are currently in law enforcement custody. Ingram has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing on Aug. 25, 2020, before U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis. Guyton is being held in state custody on an unrelated charge. His arraignment on the federal charge has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Carol Stream Police Department, Lisle Police Department, Will County Sheriff’s Office, Joliet Police Department, and Richton Park Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abigail Peluso and Christine M. O’Neill.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charges in the indictment are punishable by a maximum sentence of life in prison, while a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison could also be applicable. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678, or log on to http://www.missingkids.com. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
This is from a release from the United States Department of Justice.