Chicago man accused of sex trafficking girlfriend

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Walter Miller is charged with involuntary servitude – a class X felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison – as well as trafficking in persons for forced labor or services, aggravated domestic battery and pandering.

Updated: December 22, 2010 1:32PM

A Chicago man accused of beating his girlfriend and forcing her to prostitute herself for his financial gain in west suburban Stone Park was arrested Sunday and will appear in bond court later Tuesday, authorities said.

Walter Miller, 39, of the 1300 block of South Lawndale Avenue, is charged with involuntary servitude – a class X felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison – as well as trafficking in persons for forced labor or services, aggravated domestic battery and pandering, according to a Cook County Sheriff’s office release.

The arrest is the result of a joint investigation between the sheriff’s office and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office that began when the victim, Miller’s 30 year-old girlfriend, escaped from him in October and told police.

The woman told police she started dating Miller in January 2010, according to the sheriff’s office and state’s attorney’s office. He was unemployed and allegedly forced her to prostitute herself when her job as a waitress failed to earn enough money, the releases said.

Miller allegedly forced her to solicit men for sex at bars along Mannheim Road in west suburban Stone Park, a corridor known for similar abuses, according to the releases. The woman claims he beat her and threatened to kill her, and said he would make false complaints to DCFS regarding her young child if she didn’t comply, the releases said. She fled from his control last October, but returned when he promised to end the alleged abuse.

After she returned, Miller allegedly forced her to teach another girl to solicit customers, but forced her into prostitution again when the new girl failed to earn money, the state’s attorney’s office release said. The woman finally escaped for good after he beat and strangled her and threatened her life, the release said.

“Sex trafficking is not just an international problem,it is a problem that occurs in our own communities and it is a crime that no woman or child should be subjected to,” Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez said in the release, adding her office will continue to aggressively prosecute alleged sex traffickers and raise awareness among victims that “there is help available.”

Miller has a long criminal history that includes charges for domestic battery, drug possession and theft, the sheriff’s office release said. He was arrested without incident at his home Sunday and is scheduled to appear in bond court about noon Tuesday.

The Human Trafficking Unit of the state’s attorney’s office is handling the case, the release said.