Schaumburg prostitution sting nets arrests, fines

Nine persons were arrested on prostitution charges and five of their alleged clients were fined in a Schaumburg sting operation conducted by the Cook County Sheriff's Police Thursday night.

According to the sheriff's office, they had received complaints from residents about "illegal activities" in the area "being carried out via online services," so undercover officers posted their own ads on Craigslist and Backpage, then set up operations at a Schaumburg hotel. The sheriff's office did not name the hotel, because of its cooperation in the case.

Kristian Branch, 28, of the 300 block of West Chicago in Elgin, was arrested on charges of prostitution after pleading guilty to the same crime earlier in the day at the Rolling Meadows courthouse. Also charged with prostitution were Bryon Blanco, 41, dressed as a woman, and Alma Lopez, 23, both of Chicago, as well as Joyce Gipson, 19, of Lansing, Shannon Castor, 24, of Las Vegas, Wendy Romack, 37, of Wisconsin, Brittany Brewer, 23, of Minnesota, and Shawneequa Boyd, 24, of California.

Jessica Dusablon, 21, of California, was charged with conducting a massage without a state license, but also had her ledger book of clients confiscated.

Five men were arrested and fined $500, with 24 hours to either pay the fine or face criminal charges: Schaumburg residents Jeffrey Norman, 22, of the 2400 block of Weatherfield Way, and Naqui Abbas, 33, of the zero-hundred block of North Waterford, as well as Kevin Call, 39, of the 3000 block of St. Michael in St. Charles, Phillip Benson, 36, of the zero-hundred block of Tournament Drive in Hawthorn Woods, and Djordje Vukmirovic, 29, of Chicago. Benson was arrested on his birthday.