COOK COUNTY, IL – A second person has been charged in connection with trafficking a Chicago woman and then later kidnapping her, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today.
Corey Bryant, 39, of the 5500 block of West Gladys Avenue in Chicago, was charged on Oct. 18 with multiple felonies including aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sexual assault, trafficking in persons, involuntary servitude and intimidating a witness. He was denied bond today during a hearing at the George N. Leighton Criminal Court Building.
According to the investigation by the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Special Victims Unit, Bryant and Kyla Hunter recruited the victim to perform sexual acts for money and kept the proceeds. On Sept. 16, SVU members were near 5th Avenue and Cicero Avenue in Chicago when they noticed the 18-year-old victim walking on the street and being followed by Hunter, who was in a vehicle.
Hunter was charged on Sept. 17 with involuntary sexual servitude and trafficking in persons. She remains in custody at Cook County Jail in lieu of $600,000 D-bond.
SVU investigators subsequently learned that on Sept. 18 Bryant lured the victim to a gas station, kidnapped her, and attempted to make the victim change her statements about Hunter. She was located on Sept. 29 by Sheriff’s Police and Chicago Police.
An arrest warrant was issued for Bryant, and he turned himself in to Sheriff’s Police on Oct. 18.
SVU investigators learned that Bryant had conspired with Hunter to kidnap the victim and intimidate the victim. Hunter was additionally charged on Oct. 7 with conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping and conspiracy to commit witness intimidation.
Victims in trafficking cases are offered assistance in accessing special resources by a Sheriff’s Police Victims Service Specialist.
The public is reminded that the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty by the government in a court of law.
-30-