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Elgin arrests 11 in reverse prostitution

Eleven men were arrested Friday night in Elgin during a reverse prostitution sting staged by police officers in the city's downtown.

As part of the three-hour undercover operation in the National Street area, several Elgin officers posed as prostitutes. The men approached them, offering $20 for sex, said Lt. Glenn Theriault.

According to police, one of the men had his 2-year-old son with him.

The child's mother picked the boy up from the police station on Friday night. And officers contacted the Illinois Department of Children of Family Services.

"When people think this type of crime is a victimless crime, tell that to the 2-year-old or the mother of the 2-year-old," Police Chief Jeff Swoboda said.

All 11 alleged offenders were arrested under a local ordinance for soliciting a prostitute, which carries a minimum fine of $1,000. They are:

• Ruben Sanchez, 26, of the 1800 block of Jasmine Drive, Hanover Park.

• Rodolfo Vidal-Sanchez, 35, of the 500 block of Somerset Lane, Crystal Lake. Police said Vidal-Sanchez had his two-year-old son with him while he bargained for sex with an undercover officer.

• Javier Arreguin, 40, of the 0-99 block of Autumn Lane, Streamwood.

• Joseph J. Johnson, 18, of the 500 block of Regent Street, Elgin

• Jose Guerrero, 20, of the 300 block of Jefferson Avenue, Elgin

• Victor Lara-Lopez, 30, of the 0-99 block of Times Square, Elgin

• Guadalupe Aranda, 44, of the 1600 block of Mulberry Lane, Elgin

• Omar Gomez, 32, of the 700 block of Wright Avenue, Elgin.

The following men were arrested under the local ordinance and for additional charges:

• Jaime Boyzo, 30, of the 100 block of South Liberty Street, also was charged for marijuana possession of less than two grams.

• Benjamin Feliciano, 37, of the 0-99 block of Garden Crescent, also was charged with unlawful contact with street gang members. Police said he was negotiating for sex from his bicycle and spoke to a gang member who was bargaining with the same woman.

• Conrado Monica-Peralta, 36, of the 300 block of Raymond Street, also was charged with DUI.

Out of the 11 men arrested on Friday night, 10 had motor vehicles and must pay $1,000 to retrieve them under a separate ordinance, Theriault said.

Everyone will have their case heard Aug. 14 before a hearing officer at the Elgin branch court.

"This is certainly a huge number of suspects for such a short period of time and clearly tells me that we'll be back there again soon," Theriault said.

With Friday's sting and others like it, Elgin police intend to send the message they will not tolerate this sort of activity in town.

They are also determined to reduce the crimes it creates.

"This type of vile behavior is simply unacceptable," Theriault said. "It's unfortunate that for such an incredibly vibrant downtown, these incidents that occur in one isolated corner ... paint the entire area with the same brush."

The police department's patrol, gang, drug and technical investigation units conducted the probe, which marked the second such sting of the summer. Elgin police ran a similar crackdown in July that officers cut short due to the rain and that resulted in one arrest, Theriault said.

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