Chicago man sentenced following Aurora hotel sex sting
A Chicago man who was one of several people arrested in an Aurora police underage hotel sex sting recently pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years in prison.
Juan Morales, 27, of the 10500 block of South Avenue L, also was granted permission by Kane County Judge Clint Hull to apply to prison officials for a six-month boot camp instead, according to court records.
Morales was arrested in December 2014 after answering a fake online ad by Aurora police to come to a local hotel for paid sex with a minor. Overall, eight people were arrested in December 2014 and January 2015 in the operation, which involved the Department of Homeland Security and was targeting human trafficking.
Morales pleaded guilty to traveling to meet a minor, a felony, in exchange for prosecutors dismissing more severe charges, such as involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, which carried a six- to 30-year prison term, records show.
Under the plea agreement, Morales must register as a sex offender for 10 years. Prison officials have the final say as to whether Morales is accepted into boot camp. If he is accepted, completes boot camp but is arrested again during a probational period, he could be returned to prison.
Morales is the third of eight arrested to plead guilty.
Andres Alonzo, 24, of Aurora, pleaded guilty in July and received a seven-year term, records show.
Josh T. Archer, 34, also of Aurora, pleaded guilty last fall and was sentenced to three years in prison.
Both must register as sex offenders upon release.