Chicago Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking and Exploitation of Minor

A federal jury has convicted Jacquez 'Joc' Brown, a 31-year-old man from Chicago, on multiple charges related to the sex trafficking of a minor. The verdict, delivered on October 15, 2026, found Brown guilty of Sex Trafficking of a Minor, Sexual Exploitation of a Child, and three counts of Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material.

The trial, which lasted three days, was presided over by Chief U. S. District Judge James R.

Sweeney, II. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Terre Haute Police Department.

Incident and Investigation

The case against Brown began on December 14, 2022, when Vigo County 911 received an emergency text message reporting that a 15-year-old girl was being prostituted by Brown at a Super 8 Motel in Terre Haute. Officers from the Terre Haute Police Department located the minor in a motel room with Brown, leading to his arrest.

According to evidence presented at trial, Brown compelled the minor to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial gain. He also took a sexually explicit photograph of the minor, which he distributed to numerous individuals to entice them to pay for sex with her. Investigators discovered multiple advertisements featuring nude photographs of the minor, which were linked to a phone number belonging to Brown.

Despite police intervention on the day of the arrest, Brown continued to arrange commercial sex acts involving the minor, according to the evidence.

Trial and Conviction

During the trial, the jury heard testimony from law enforcement officers who encountered Brown and the minor victim. They reviewed text message exchanges that demonstrated the trafficking activity and heard from a digital forensic expert who linked Brown to the creation and transmission of the illicit messages and images.

Friends and associates of both Brown and the minor victim provided first-hand accounts of the sex-trafficking conduct, further solidifying the case against Brown.

U. S. Attorney Wheeler expressed gratitude to Assistant U.

S. Attorneys Carolyn Haney and MaryAnn Mindrum for prosecuting the case.

Brown's sentencing will be determined at a later date by Judge Sweeney. The charges against him carry significant penalties, reflecting the serious nature of the offenses.