Charges dismissed against 5th, last accused St. Charles sex trafficker

In a courtroom turnabout Wednesday, 16 felony charges were dismissed against the fifth and last accused sex trafficker arrested in a July 2023 sweep in St. Charles.

In a brief appearance before Kane County Circuit Judge David Kliment, Assistant State’s Attorney Christine Bayer said she received some discovery and evidence from the defense in the case against Hector Briseno, 58, of Chicago.

“At this time, the people are nolle prosing this case,” Bayer said.

Nolle pros – short for prosequi – is Latin for “we will no longer prosecute.”

“We are asking that bond be returned,” Bayer said.

Records show Briseno had posted $27,000 as bond. Illinois did not eliminate cash bond until September 2023.

Kliment asked Briseno’s attorney, Joseph R. Lopez, if he had any objection.

“No, Judge,” Lopez replied.

“The case is now being dismissed,” Kliment said.

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.

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

In an email, the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office stated the case against Briseno was dismissed because prosecutors were no longer confident that they could prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.

“Some of the best evidence we had against Mr. Briseno was challenged through evidence and discovery that was given to us during the course of this litigation,” the email stated.

“In the interests of justice and our ethical obligation to take a case to trial only when we believe that we can prove the matter beyond a reasonable doubt, we determined there was no longer sufficient evidence to proceed with this case at this time,” the email stated.

The other four arrested in the 2023 sweep all pleaded guilty to one count of felony trafficking in persons in exchange for the other charges not being prosecuted.

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

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.

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.

Police said the rescued seven women were all from South America, ranging in age from their early 20s to early 30s.

On March 18, State’s Attorney Mosser announced the launch of a Human Exploitation Unit to combat human trafficking with First Assistant Bayer overseeing the new special unit.

“We are going to ensure that traffickers are held liable, and that victims receive the justice and support that they deserve,” Mosser said at a news conference to announce the Human Exploitation Unit.

Illinois provided a $1 million grant to create the specialized unit, according to Mosser’s news release.

When Daniel Hurtado pleaded guilty in April, Assistant State’s Attorney Robert Dore had described the horrors the sex-trafficked women endured.

His description included one woman who asked not to work because she had recently had surgery, but was told “her family and children were threatened if she did not work that week.”

A St. Charles police official referred all questions to the State’s Attorney’s Office.