A Rogers Park man allegedly held a mentally disabled woman from Crystal Lake captive and forced her to work as a prostitute, prosecutors said.
Chester Nelson, 36, of the 1700 block of West Albion Avenue, was ordered held on $250,000 bond on charges of involuntary servitude after he allegedly tricked the 20-year-old woman into getting into his van in downtown Chicago June 6, then forced her to work as a prostitute for four days.
The victim, who has "the mentality of a 12-year-old," thought Nelson was a friend of a friend who was supposed to pick her up downtown, Assistant State's Attorney William Hall said. Prosecutors did not say where Nelson picked her up in his van.
Nelson threatened the victim and forced her to have sex with men in the suburbs, prosecutors said. An unnamed witness sneaked the victim a bus ticket, which Nelson discovered. He tore the ticket up and told the woman "you're never going to get out," Hall said. Another witness gave the victim a phone and let her call her father, Hall said.
The woman was able to get free June 10 and flagged down a police officer. Nelson was arrested in an alley in the 5500 block of West West End Avenue, court records state.