Third person pleads guilty in hotel sex trafficking case, gets 7 years in prison

A third person of the five accused of sex trafficking in a St. Charles hotel in 2023 has pleaded guilty and accepted a term of seven years in prison, court records show.

Martha P. Hurdato-Hernandez, 58, of Chicago, pleaded guilty on Feb. 26 to one felony count of trafficking in persons in an agreement not to have the remaining charges prosecuted, documents show.

Trafficking in persons is a Class 1 felony, punishable by four to 15 years in prison.

Hurtado-Hernandez had also been charged with seven counts of trafficking in persons, 10 counts of involuntary servitude, four courts of promoting prostitution and one count of involuntary servitude prosecuted, documents show.

The most serious charge she faced was involuntary servitude, a Class X felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison.

Hurtado-Hernandez is to receive credit for the 589 days she already served in the Kane County jail and an additional 90 days credit for programs she completed while in the Cook County jail, according to the judge’s order.

According to the judge’s order, she will receive a day off her sentence for each day served in prison and will have 12 months of mandatory supervised release when her term is completed, according to the judge’s order.

Hurtado-Hernandez is also to make restitution for $17,670, according to the judge’s order.

Hurtado-Hernandez was arrested in a sweep of a human trafficking organized crime syndicate on July 20, 2023, operating in brothels in various apartments in St. Charles, South Elgin, Elgin, Hanover Park, Palatine and Chicago, records show.

Police rescued seven women from South America, ranging in age from their early 20s to early 30s, officials had said then.

Rigoberto Parra, 47, of Aurora, and Christian Hurtado, 28, of Elgin, were also charged in the incident. Both pleaded guilty on Feb. 21. In deals negotiated with prosecutors, they agreed to serve five years in prison.

Kane County Circuit Judge David Kliment accepted all their plea agreements.

Hector Briseno, 55, of Chicago, and Daniel Hurtado, 27, of Elgin, were also charged in the incident. Their cases are still pending.