Chicago Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Children

CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for recruiting four children to engage in sex acts for money.

On multiple occasions in 2017, DARYL S. ARNOLD arranged for the four victims, all of whom were under 18 years old, to meet with individuals to engage in commercial sex acts in the Chicago area.  Arnold used websites such as Backpage to advertise the commercial sex acts and find customers.  Afterward, Arnold kept half of the proceeds.

Arnold, 48, pleaded guilty in 2022 to four counts of sex trafficking of a minor.  In addition to the prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso on Friday ordered Arnold to pay $136,700 in restitution to the victims.  The prison term will be followed by ten years of court-supervised release.

The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance.

Arnold’s arrest was part of Operation Cross Country XI, a nationwide law enforcement effort to combat underage human trafficking.

“Defendant’s tactic of grooming minors is extremely dangerous because of the ease with which it can be implemented,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles W. Mulaney argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.  “He ‘sold the dream’ with a false promise of independence and love.”

If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-843-5678 or logging on to www.cybertipline.com.