Story posted Thursday, October 29, 2009
Nationwide Prostitution Bust Nets Several Charges Here
A joint team of 10 officers apprehended eight women on Friday, Oct. 23 during a country-wide prostitution sting.
Operation Cross Country IV was a three-day FBI operation designed to recover juvenile prostitutes. Arlington Hts. Det. William Kirby explained the officers use Web sites that prostitutes use to advertise their services. They primarily target sex workers who look young in their pictures in an attempt to rescue children that are involved in the sex trade.
However, the team in the Northwest suburbs found only adult prostitute suspects, leading to a different result.
"We meet with them, give them money, then arrest them," Kirby said.
Undercover officers arranged to meet the women at several area hotels. The following were charged with prostitution:
Taryn A. Leger, 25, of 5075 Logan Ave., San Diego, Calif., was taken into custody at Days Inn, 1920 E. Higgins Rd. in Elk Grove Village.
An 18-year-old Vernon Hills woman was apprehended at the Indigo Hotel, 1921 E. Northwest Highway, Palatine. Another woman at the same hotel, Tiffany V. Denton, 20, of 4 Timber Lane, Vernon Hills, was charged with felony pandering. She was allegedly posting ads, taking calls, and setting up appointments for the 18-year-old, Kirby explained.
Neringa Golombeckyte, 21, of 9901 S. 87th Ave., Palos Hills, was taken into custody at Red Roof Inn, 22 W. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Hts.
Yingmin Zhang, 40, of 1540 W. Dempster St., Mt. Prospect, and Trinh Restivo, 27, of 7705 Armitage Ave., Elmwood Park, were apprehended at Country Inn and Suites, 2200 S. Elmhurst Rd., Mt. Prospect.
Nina Mergerson, 32, of Inn Town Suites, 2411 Landmeier Rd., Elk Grove Village, was taken into custody in the motel room in which she was residing.
Chelsea Sparks, 21, of 3333 N. Michael Way, Las Vegas, Nev., was apprehended at Sheridan Suites, 121 N. Northwest Point Blvd., Elk Grove Village.
In each instance, the women allegedly offered to perform a sexual act with the undercover officer for money. Operation Cross Country IV included enforcement action as part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative in 36 cities across 30 FBI divisions around the country. Over the three days, agents said they recovered 52 children being victimized through prostitution. Additionally, nearly 700 others, including 60 pimps, were arrested on state and local charges.
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