Six southern Illinois residents have been arrested during a two-day human trafficking enforcement operation in the Carbondale area on Wednesday and Thursday.
The operation by the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigation Trafficking Enforcement Bureau was focused on identifying individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts.
As a result of the operation, each of the following individuals were arrested:
46-year-old Charles Kemp of West Frankfort
35-year-old Scott Strudwick of Murphysboro
32-year-old Robert Wilson of Carbondale
29-year-old Justin Phoenix of Shiloh
28-year-old Marlin Kellum of Murphysboro and
23-year-old Kyler McGee of Anna.
They are charged with Indecent Solicitation of a Child, Traveling to Meet a Child and Solicitation to Meet a Child.
Participating in the operation with ISP were the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group, Southern Illinois Drug Task Force, Centralia Police Department, and Salem Police Department. The Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office filed the above-mentioned charges.
