Former Country Club Hills siblings nabbed for sex-trafficking young girls
SUN-TIMES MEDIA September 11, 2012 2:58PM
Updated: October 14, 2012 1:38PM
A brother and sister formerly from Country Club Hills are among three people charged with pimping young teenagers from Iowa in Chicago, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Malik McKee, 19, and his sister Shauntina McKee, 23, both of Iowa City, and Willie Woods, 41, of Toledo, Ohio, were charged Tuesday with conspiracy to transport minors across state lines to engage in prostitution, according to prosecutors.
The McKees were arrested Monday in Iowa City. Woods, formerly of Iowa City, was arrested Friday in Toledo, prosecutors said.
The sex-trafficking allegation accuses them of using coercion, force and threats of force to make teens from Iowa City become prostitutes in Chicago.
The investigation began April 25 when a 14-year-old girl sneaked out of a hotel room in the 9100 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue and called her mother in Iowa, prosecutors said.
Her mother called Chicago police, who contacted federal authorities.
The defendants allegedly posted online ads for the prostitution of three children — ages 14, 16 and 16. Malik McKee and Woods bought bus tickets for the girls and transported them to Chicago so the defendants could make money, prosecutors said.
The government is seeking to have all three extradited to Chicago. Sex-trafficking of minors carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life, plus a $250,000 fine.
