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Press Release

Chicago Man Sentenced to Nearly 24 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Children

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois

CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to nearly 24 years in federal prison for recruiting two children to travel to Chicago from Indiana to engage in sex acts for money.

A jury in 2022 convicted KENNEDY SPENCER, 55, of Chicago, on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.  U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed the sentence on Jan. 25, 2024, during a hearing in federal court in Chicago.

The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Tinley Park, Ill. Police Department and the FBI Resident Agency in South Bend, Ind.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Erskine and Erika L. Csicsila.

According to evidence presented at trial, the victims were under the age of 18 when Spencer induced them to travel to Chicago in the spring of 2018.  Once in the city, Spencer on multiple occasions arranged for the victims to meet with individuals to engage in commercial sex acts.    A co-conspirator – RONALD WILLIAMS, 65, of Lynwood, Ill. – drove the victims to some of the meetings. Afterward, Spencer and Williams kept the bulk of the proceeds.

Both victims testified at trial about having been sex trafficked by Spencer and Williams.

Williams was also convicted on trafficking and conspiracy charges.  He was sentenced in 2023 to 15 years in federal prison.

If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or logging on to www.cybertipline.com.

Updated February 2, 2024

Topics
Project Safe Neighborhoods
Human Trafficking
Violent Crime