Vernon Hills man who drove to Aurora hotel to have sex with teen gets 3 years in prison
A Vernon Hills man who drove to an Aurora hotel to have sex with a teenage girl has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Ramesh Gannamani, 36, of the 900 block of North Lakeside Drive, pleaded guilty to the felony charge of traveling to meet a minor in exchange for Kane County prosecutors' dismissing more severe charges, such as involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, court records show.
The sexual servitude charge carried up to a 30-year prison term; the traveling to meet a minor charge was punishable by up to five years with probation as an option.
Judge D.J. Tegeler accepted the plea, which includes $2,770 in fines and fees for Gannamani, who also must register as a sex offender, records show.
He and three other people were arrested in March 2017 as part of an Aurora police and Department of Homeland Security operation in which defendants responded to online ads for sex, thinking they were traveling to a hotel for sex with girls younger than 18, authorities said.
Once there, they were arrested. Appellate courts have upheld challenges to this type of police operation targeting sex trafficking.
Carlos J. Zaca, 22, of Aurora, is due in court Jan 26. Jarrett Ferguson, 26, of Wheaton, and Olatokumbo Olawoye, 45, of Aurora, are due in court March 1 and 9, respectively.
Authorities held a similar sting in December 2014/January 2015 and March 2015, netting 10 arrests for men wanting to have sex with children. All 10 either pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial.