St. Charles sex trafficker pleads guilty, agrees to 7-year sentence

A third person of the five accused of sex trafficking in a St. Charles hotel in 2023 has pleaded guilty and accepted a term of seven years in prison, court records show.

Martha P. Hurdato-Hernandez, 58, of Chicago, pleaded guilty Feb. 26 to one felony count of trafficking in persons in an agreement not to have the remaining charges prosecuted, documents show.

Trafficking in persons is a Class 1 felony, punishable by four to 15 years in prison.

Hurtado-Hernandez had also been charged with seven counts of trafficking in persons, 10 counts of involuntary servitude, four courts of promoting prostitution and one count of involuntary servitude prosecuted, documents show.

The most serious charge she faced was involuntary servitude, a Class X felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison.

Hurtado-Hernandez is to receive credit for the 589 days she already served in the Kane County jail and an additional 90 days credit for programs she completed while in the Cook County jail, according to the judge’s order.

She is to get a day off her sentence for each day served in prison, and to have 12 months of mandatory supervised release when her term is completed, according to the judge’s order.

Hurtado-Hernandez is also to make restitution in the amount of $17,670, according to the judge’s order.

Hurtado-Hernandez was arrested in a sweep of a human trafficking organized crime syndicate July 20, 2023, operating in brothels in various apartments in St. Charles, South Elgin, Elgin, Hanover Park, Palatine and Chicago, records show.

Police rescued seven women all from South America, ranging in age from their early 20s to early 30s, official had said then.

Also charged in the incident were Rigoberto Parra, 47, of Aurora and Christian Hurtado, 28, of Elgin, who both pleaded guilty Feb. 21. They agreed to serve five years in prison, also in deals negotiated with prosecutors.

Kane County Circuit Judge David Kliment accepted all their plea agreements.

Also charged in the incident were Hector Briseno, 55, of Chicago and Daniel Hurtado, 27, of Elgin, whose cases are still pending.

Hurtado is to appear in court next on March 20 and Briseno on April 2, records show.