Nine men charged in Lake County prostitution sting

Nine men face solicitation charges after offering undercover detectives money for sexual acts, Lake County Sheriff's police said Saturday.

The two-day prostitution sting was part of a national law enforcement operation targeting "johns," or customers of prostitutes, through a classified advertising website.

Members of the sheriff's gang task force went undercover on Jan. 13 and Feb. 9, police said.

The men were taken into custody at an unidentified hotel in southern Lake County, police said.

The following men were charged with solicitation of a sexual act:

• Matthew R. Scanlon, 47, of the 6300 block of Crossland Boulevard, Gurnee. He also was charged with resisting arrest.

• Dimitrios Samaras, 42, of the 26200 block of North Hickory Avenue, in an unincorporated area near Mundelein.

• Gustavo R. Valdez, 38, of the 1300 block of Quaker Lane, Prospect Heights.

• Oscar Rivera-Maldonado, 20, of the 200 block of South Jackson Street, Waukegan.

• Michael Pacholczak, 33, of the 700 block of Hillside Drive, Mundelein.

• Antonio M. Knight, 23, of the 100 block of Brandywine Court, Vernon Hills.

• Erik L. Jorgensen, 40, of the 1800 block of Amberley Court, Lake Forest. He is due in court 9 a.m. March 2.

• Evelio Garcia-Caniz, 34, of the 2700 block of North Rutherford Avenue, Chicago.

He is due in court 9 a.m. March 6.

• Francisco J. Castaneda, 43, of the 700 block of Court of Birch, Vernon Hills.