Man sentenced to 22 years in pimping of teen girl

A Wonder Lake man has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for his part in the sex trafficking of a teenage girl, according to Lake County authorities.

Jose Puga, 52, of the 3000 block of Schuette Drive, pleaded guilty in Lake County Court to involuntary sexual servitude of a minor and aggravated criminal sex abuse on July 22. He was sentenced to a 22-year prison term.

Puga was arrested as part of a human trafficking arrest of a Round Lake Beach woman. Sheila E. Johnston was arrested in July 2019 for pimping a 15-year-old girl, authorities said.

Johnston had posted an advertisement online offering the juvenile for sexual acts. She met an undercover police officer at a Waukegan hotel where she was arrested. Johnston was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.

Puga was charged in March 2025 as part of the ongoing trafficking investigation. The survivor provided a powerful statement at Puga’s sentencing on how his acts had affected her, prosecutors said.

“The heart of this story is the bravery of the survivor. Without her, we could not have held this dangerous offender accountable,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said.