A trio in the Chicago suburb of Schiller Park was accused Friday of preying on poor or homeless women to run what State's Attorney Anita Alvarez called a "sex trafficking house of horrors."
Prosecutors allege Keith "Shampoo" Williams, 52, was the ringleader of the operation that used drugs and violence as means of keeping the women under control, reports the Sun-Times.
To commit his despicable acts which prosecutors believe may stretch back to 2007, the Tribune reports Williams had help from Roman Kurek, 49, and Sylvia Topolewski, 37. Cousins, the pair was charged with involuntary servitude and sex trafficking; all three lived at the same Schiller Park residence at 9811 Linn Ave. which reportedly belonged to Williams.
The case was blown open after a tipster reported drug activity from Williams' apartment, leading to an eight-month investigation that involved undercover work. ABC Chicago reports the investigation started simply targeting drugs and prostitution, but turned much darker and more complex as new discoveries were made.
According to prosecutors, Williams pocketed the profits from the women's prostitution, and had Kurek drive them to and from "dates" since they weren't allowed to leave the house. Topolewski instructed the women how to be prostitutes and fed them drugs as often as three times a day to foster their dependence on the ring.
Williams, according to a court affidavit, had a reputation for his brutality among other prostitutes.
The gut-wrenching affidavit details allegations of some of Williams' most horrifying acts: threatening the family members of the women, urinating on them for disobedience, and beating them if they "disrespected" him by looking other men in the eyes. One allegation said Williams beat a woman with a plunger and poured hot bleach over her body.
According to NBC Chicago, as many as six women were being pimped out by the ring, but prosecutors believe there are more.
Williams faces Class X Felony punishable by up to 30 years, as well as Trafficking In Persons, a Class One Felony, according to Alvarez' office. Williams was being held on a $650,000 bond and Kurek and Topolewski were each being held on a $350,000 bond.
Anyone with information on additional victims should call Schiller Park police at (847) 678-4794.