Police: 7 charged after Crystal Lake prostitution scam

A 52-year-old cabdriver showed up at a Crystal Lake motel Monday afternoon anticipating a sexual encounter in exchange for money, but instead walked into a trap, according to police.

The man was eventually able to escape from a group of attackers who were hiding in the room, and seven McHenry County residents between the ages of 17 and 28 were later arrested and charged.

A younger woman had called the Woodstock man and the two agreed to meet at the Crystal Lake Motel, 110 Virginia Street. When the cabdriver entered room 201, a group of men attacked him while demanding money, police said.

After the attackers kicked and punched the man in the head and body, two of the men pulled out knives and demanded more money from the man while threatening further harm, police said.

The victim offered more money, but said he needed to take them to a bank to withdraw the cash, police said.

A witness spotted the suspects leading the man to the cab across the street on Virginia, and saw the man appear to strike one of the suspects with the vehicle as he fled, police said.

The suspects let him in the driver’s seat, but the man hit the gas as at least one of the suspects tried to get into the vehicle, police said,

The suspects followed the driver in a small white vehicle for a short distance down Virginia Street, but stopped when he turned onto North Shore Drive, allowing the man to call 911 at 12:09 p.m., police said.

Officers located the suspects and a vehicle matching witnesses’ descriptions, and took seven people into custody.

Crystal Lake residents James E. Zavorski, 18, of the 300 block of Van Buren Street, and William Zavorski, 21, of the 100 block of North Virginia Street along with Woodstock resident Brandon M. Stevens, 21, of the 2200 block of Edgewood Drive were charged with aggravated battery, mob action and robbery.

Patricia E. Stoneburner, 21, of the 14400 block of Kishwaukee Valley Road, Woodstock, was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Austin M. Busse, 28, of the 100 block of North Virginia Street, Crystal Lake, was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery.

A 17-year-old female from Woodstock was charged as an adult for robbery and a 17-year-old male from Crystal Lake was charged as an adult for aggravated battery, mob action and robbery.