Mug Shot Mania News
One of Two Men Charged With Child Sex Trafficking Pleads Guilty, Sentenced to 10 years
WHEATON – DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin announced today that one of two Chicago men charged with arranging sexual encounters for men with underage girls has been sentenced to ten years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Demarcus Feltus, 30 (d.o.b. 1/29/1985) of 5125 Crystal Avenue, appeared before Judge Daniel Guerin this afternoon where he entered a plea of guilty to one count of Involuntary Servitude of a Minor, a Class X Felony. The case against Feltus’ co-defendant, Laburron Jackson, 30 (d.o.b. 9/15/1985) of 3030 W. 21st Place, is still pending. Jackson’s next court appearance is scheduled for December 15, 2015 for status. He has been charged with four counts of Promoting Juvenile Prostitution, two counts of Involuntary Servitude of a Minor and four counts of Promoting Prostitution.
Working with the FBI on a joint sting operation entitled “Operation Cross Country,” an undercover officer with the Aurora Police Special Operations Group (SOG) answered an ad offering “2 sexy females.” On June 19, 2014, the officer made arrangements to meet the girls for a sexual encounter at a hotel in Aurora near Robert Morris College. The following day at approximately 12:30 p.m., two girls arrived at the hotel and met with the undercover officer in one of the hotel’s rooms. It is alleged that the two girls were driven to the hotel by Feltus and Jackson, who waited in their car in the hotel parking lot after dropping off the girls. It is further alleged that Feltus and Jackson instructed the girls to have sex with the undercover officer for money and then split the money with Feltus and Jackson. It is alleged that the two men threatened to keep some of the girls’ personal belongings if they did not do as they were told. After speaking to the girls in the hotel room, the officer determined that they were both fifteen years old. The officer then gave a signal to other SOG agents to approach the men as they waited in the vehicle. It is alleged that upon making contact with Feltus and Jackson, Feltus fled the area on foot. After a brief foot chase, Feltus was taken into custody. Jackson was taken into custody without incident. On June 23, 2015, the two men appeared in Bond Court where bond was set for each at $500,000 with 10% to apply.
“This afternoon, Mr. Feltus admitted that he forced two young girls, not yet old enough to drive, into prostitution,” Berlin said. “While rare in DuPage County, human trafficking and the forcing of young girls and boys into a life of sexual servitude remains a multi-million dollar business nationwide. Today’s sentence sends the message that forcing young children into this living nightmare will not be tolerated in DuPage County and anyone found guilty of such behavior will spend a significant amount of time behind bars. It is my sincerest hope that the two girls involved in this case will be able to fully recover from the pain and suffering that has been inflicted upon them. I would like to thank the FBI and the Aurora Police Department’s Special Operations Group for their ongoing work in going after those who would exploit such young girls, forcing them into a life of prostitution before their sixteenth birthday. I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Mike Pawl and Jennifer Lindt for their work not only on this very sad case but for their continued efforts in going after those who would exploit such young children for their own gain.”
Members of the public are reminded that the complaints against Jackson contain only charges and are not proof of the defendant’s guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the government’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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