A McHenry County man was among those arrested by members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force as part of a nationwide operation targeting individuals who authorities said solicited prostitution.
Terrance P. Gallagher Jr., 29 of the 100 block of Rand Road, Lakemoor, was arrested in Gurnee and charged with solicitation of a sexual act, a misdemeanor, according to a news release from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Gallagher was among 16 men arrested by the Gang Task Force, Gurnee Police Department and Waukegan Police Department in an undercover operation to suppress the demand for paid sex, according to the news release.
The other individuals arrested include:
• Shawn M. Bashir, 31, Verona, Wisconsin
• Kevin C. Harang, 57, Lake Bluff
• Daniel K. Ilahi, 35, Waukegan
• Evodio Rangel-Rodriguez, 33, Mundelein
• Thomas L. Kovach, 57, Muncie, Indiana
• Rodolfo Aguiar-Ron, 45, Zion
• Idilfonso Roman-Albarran, 39, Wauconda
• Edas N. Romero-Chinchilla, 25, Round Lake Heights
• Miguel A. Alcala, 26, Zion
• Antonio Martinez, 33, Volo
• Irak Diaz-Gasca, 25, Beach Park
• Derrick L. Coleman, 52, Zion
• Pedro C. Becerra-Cordoba, 39, Round Lake Heights
• Jaroslaw Serafin, 47, Round Lake
• Adolfo Tiliano-Moreno, 30, Grayslake
The Gang Task Force joined a coalition in July made up of federal and area law enforcement agencies that specifically targeted customers of prostitutes known as “Johns,” according to a news release.
Police said the web-based operation used a classified advertising website that regularly is used as a way to solicit prostitution. When the men arrived and offered money to undercover detectives for sex acts, they were arrested and taken to the Lake County jail, according to the news release.
The nationwide effort has arrested more than 6,000 “Johns” and sex traffickers over the past five years, police said.
“I’ve said it before, prostitution is not a victimless crime. Prostitution involves human trafficking and juvenile sex trafficking,” Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran said. “In order to put a stop to this, we must continue investigating those trading money for sex, and continue arresting human traffickers. This remains one of the top priorities for the Lake County Sheriff’s Gang Task Force.”