Man charged with trafficking, abusing Buffalo Grove teen

A 49-year-old Romeoville man was ordered held on $300,000 bond on charges of promoting juvenile prostitution after he was accused of arranging for a Buffalo Grove 16-year-old to perform sex acts with him and others.

Joseph Mapleton, 49, also is accused of aggravated criminal sexual abuse and indecent solicitation of a child. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors say the teenager made contact with Mapleton on May 3, 2015, via an online dating site and agreed to perform a sexual act in exchange for $50, said Cook County Assistant State's Attorney David Shin. The couple messaged each other and the girl informed Mapleton of her age several days later, Shin said.

Shin said they continued to message each other and the relationship changed "from transactional to romantic," with Mapleton promising the girl they would run away together when she turned 17 and he would marry her.

Shin said Mapleton engaged in sexual activity with the girl and arranged for the girl and another teenage girl to engage in sex acts for another man for pay.

That meeting occurred in June in a Rolling Meadows parking lot, Shin said.

The other man has not been arrested, authorities said.

Cook County Judge Joseph Cataldo ordered Mapleton to have no contact with the girls or anyone under 18. He also prohibited Mapleton from using his cell phone or accessing the Internet.

Mapleton, who has no criminal background, next appears in court on Feb. 19.