Local Police Reports

Chicago Man Charged With Promoting Prostitution


Chicago, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Bond was denied for a Chicago man who was charged with promoting prostitution and domestic battery, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced Thursday.

Henry McLaurin, 32, of the 1000 block of East 93rd Street, has been charged with one count of promoting prostitution, which is a felony, and one count of domestic battery, which is a misdemeanor. Bond was denied for McLaurin since he was out on bond after a December 2011 arrest by the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Vice Unit, also for promoting prostitution. That arrest occurred in a Bridgeview area motel.

On February 5, 2012, the East Hazel Crest Police Department responded to a fight in progress at the Super 8 Motel located in East Hazel Crest, IL. Once there, police say they learned that a domestic battery had occurred and that the alleged offender, Henry McLaurin, was taken into custody. Police also learned that he reportedly was the pimp of the two women in the hotel room, one of which was the victim of the domestic battery, according to a statement from Sheriff Tom Dart.

The Cook County Sheriff’s Police Vice Unit was notified and a joint investigation between the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Department and the East Hazel Crest Police Department was initiated.

Police say the investigation revealed that McLaurin was promoting prostitution by placing ads with the women’s photos under "Escorts" in the Adult section of the website Backpage.com. This resulted in customers calling the number in the ad and arranging a “date” where sex acts were exchanged for money. Police further allege that McLaurin also drove them to the “dates” and then profited by receiving money the victims earned from the sex acts.

Both women were offered victim services through the Sheriff’s Women’s Justice Programs, according to Dart’s office.

McLaurin is currently held in the Cook County Jail. His next court date is for his current charge of promoting prostitution will be on February 27th in the Markham Courthouse. His next court date for his previous charge of promoting prostitution will be held on March 2nd in the Bridgeview Courthouse.


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