A multi-year investigation has led to the arrest of a Wonder Lake man who is facing charges of sex trafficking a 15-year-old girl in Lake County, the sheriff announced.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Special Investigations Group in July 2019 said they were conducting a long-term investigation into the sex trafficking of a 15-year-old girl after receiving a tip from the Round Lake Beach Police Department.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli said at the time that Special Investigations Group detectives learned that Sheila E. Johnston, who was 33 and a Round Lake Beach resident at the time, was possibly pimping a 15-year-old girl.
Johnston previously held legal guardianship over the girl.
Johnston posted an advertisement on a website offering the child to participate in sexual acts in exchange for money, Covelli said.
Undercover detectives communicated with Johnston and she offered the juvenile and herself to engage in sex acts in exchange for money.
“Johnston trafficked the juvenile to a hotel in Waukegan, where she met with who she thought was a customer, but was really an undercover Sheriff’s Detective. During the meeting Johnston offered both herself and the juvenile to engage in sexual acts for money,” Covelli said at the time.
Johnston was arrested and charged with trafficking in persons, involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, promoting juvenile prostitution and prostitution.
The girl was transported to a safe shelter where the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services took protective custody of her.
The Special Investigations Group, along with the FBI Chicago Field Office, continued their efforts to expose those involved in the human trafficking operation, Lake County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sgt. Matthew Harmon said.
Harmon said Tuesday that the extensive investigation had progressed and new evidence and witnesses had come to light.
The developments provided investigators with enough proof to link Jose Puga, 51, of Wonder Lake, to the crimes committed against the 15-year-old girl.
Harmon said that Puga is an associate and co-conspirator with Johnston and participated in the crimes committed against the child.
The case was presented to the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office, which approved charges earlier this month of three counts of involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, three counts of trafficking in persons and six counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
An arrest warrant was issued for Puga and he surrendered himself to the Lake County Jail on Tuesday.
“This case is yet another example of the outstanding results that can be achieved through the partnership between the Lake County Special Investigations Group and the FBI,” Lake County Sheriff John D. Idleburg said.
“While the investigation was lengthy, the relentless dedication of the investigators ensured that those responsible for victimizing this child were brought to justice,” Idleburg said.
Lake County court records show Johnston pleaded guilty in April 2022 to one count of involuntary sexual servitude of a child, a Class X felony, and was sentenced to 15 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections pursuant to the plea.
Federal court records show Johnston was also charged in federal court with sex trafficking of children and sentenced to 20 years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons after pleading guilty to the charge.
The state’s attorney’s office filed a petition to detain Puga pending trial and a detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.