CHICAGO – Jamari Hodge, 29, of Calumet City, Illinois, will spend the next two decades in federal prison after being sentenced Wednesday for the brutal exploitation of a 13-year-old girl. Hodge was convicted of enticing a minor to engage in commercial sex acts, a crime that laid bare a dark undercurrent of predation in the Chicago suburbs.
Federal prosecutors detailed how, in November 2021, Hodge actively recruited and coerced the young victim into engaging in commercial sexual activity. The depravity didn’t stop there. Hodge then took sexually explicit photographs of the girl and brazenly posted them on online platforms, advertising her for sale. This wasn’t impulsive behavior; it was a calculated and cold-hearted scheme.
The investigation revealed Hodge didn’t just exploit the victim online. She rented hotel rooms across Illinois and Indiana, turning them into locations for encounters with individuals who responded to the online advertisements. Hodge acted as a pimp, setting the prices for sexual acts and personally collecting the payments from the customers after each encounter – profiting directly from the abuse of a child.
Hodge pleaded guilty to the federal charge last year. U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold didn’t mince words during sentencing, imposing the maximum 20-year prison term. In addition to the lengthy incarceration, Judge Pacold ordered Hodge to pay $180,000 in restitution to the victim, a small measure of accountability for the irreversible harm inflicted.
The case was spearheaded by Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Morris Pasqual, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office. The Lansing, Calumet City, and Richton Park Police Departments provided crucial support during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly skillfully prosecuted the case, ensuring Hodge faced justice.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive threat of child sex trafficking. Anyone who believes they may be a victim or have information about potential exploitation is urged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The hotline is available 24/7.
Related Federal Cases
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- Flushing Trio Indicted in Interstate Sex Trafficking Ring · Pennsylvania
- Indiana Sex Offender Gets 24+ Years for Child Porn Solicitation · Illinois
- Brittany Stenberg Gets 10 Years for Child Sex Trafficking · Illinois
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Key Facts
- State: Illinois
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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