Fifth accused St. Charles sex trafficker’s case continued again

At the fourth continuance this year for the fifth accused sex trafficker arrested in a July 2023 sweep in St. Charles, the judge warned today that it would be his last.

Hector Briseno, 58, of Chicago, who is on pretrial release, appeared briefly before Circuit Judge David Kliment, flanked by his attorney Joseph Lopez, a Spanish language interpreter and Assistant State’s Attorney Christine Bayer.

Briseno was indicted Aug. 23, 2023, on one count of involuntary servitude with threat of physical harm; one count of trafficking in persons for labor; four counts of involuntary servitude with physical restraint; six counts of involuntary servitude with the threat of financial harm; and four counts of promoting prostitution for profit, according to court records.

“Mr. Lopez has indicated to me he has some evidence or discovery he wishes to give to me (that he thinks) is going to be perhaps a significant impact on the course of this case,” Bayer said. “We’re looking at June 11. I should have information by then and be able to analyze it.”

Kliment agreed to the June 11 date – but cautioned that this was the end of the line for continuances.

“If the matter is not resolved by then, I’m going to set this matter for trial,” Kliment said. “It’s the only one pending.”

The other four arrested in the sweep have all pleaded guilty to one count of felony trafficking in persons in exchange for the other charges not being prosecuted.

Rigoberto Parra, 47, of Aurora and Christian Hurtado, 28, of Elgin accepted prison sentences of five years; Daniel Hurtado, 27, of Elgin agreed to five and a half years; and Martha P. Hurtado-Hernandez, 58, of Chicago, agreed to seven years.

Each of Briseno’s four appearances this year were scheduled for a plea or setting a date for a trial. Lopez filed court papers waiving a jury trial for Briseno and seeking a bench trial before the judge instead.

In July 2023, St. Charles police led the probe into breaking up a human trafficking syndicate, which included the rescue of seven women who were being sex trafficked in brothels. One brothel was in a west side apartment in St. Charles, and others were in South Elgin, Elgin, Hanover Park, Palatine and Chicago.

In the process of the arrests, police said they rescued seven women, all from South American, ranging in age from their early 20s to early 30s.

Trafficking in persons is a Class 1 felony, punishable by four to 15 years in prison or up to 48 months of probation.

The most serious charge they all faced was a Class X involuntary servitude with the threat of physical harm, punishable by six to 30 years in prison if convicted.