Chicago Woman Arrested After Meeting 'Backpage' Date at Motel, Cops Say

Caption: DuPage County Sheriff booking photo for Priscilla L. Franz, 31, of Chicago, who is facing prostitution and cannabis charges after she was arrested at a Downers Grove motel.

A woman who placed a prostitution ad in Backpage.com was arrested after meeting a date at a Downers Grove motel, reports said.

Priscilla L. Franz, 31, of Chicago, was charged with keeping a place of prostitution and possession of cannabis.

A police officer first spotted Franz, who has prior prostitution arrests in Downers Grove, standing around the parking lot at Red Roof Inn at 1113 Butterfield Road around 5 p.m. August 13.

According to the officer, Franz was wearing a long brown wig. The officer contacted the front desk and confirmed that Franz had booked a room.

Around 7:30 p.m., the officer saw Franz and a man leave the room. The man then entered a dark blue Chrysler and drove out of the parking lot. Franz walked away from the room, reports said.

The officer continued to monitor Franz’s activities throughout the evening. When she came back outside to smoke a cigarette on a bench and hour later, the officer got out of his unmarked car and approached her.

According to the report, the officer asked who the guy was that she had been with. Franz said it was her brother-in-law who drove in to see her from Crest Hill. Franz also offered that she had been with her children all day.

The officer then showed her the prostitution ad in Backpage, and Franz allegedly admitted to placing it just that morning. Franz continued that after she saw the officer watching her earlier in the evening, she decided not to take any more dates.

She proceeded to tell the cop, “I only had one date,” police said.

While handcuffing her, the arresting officer detected a strong smell of cannabis on her clothing, reports said. She was searched and the officer found a half-smoked blunt in her front pocket, police said.

More small baggies containing suspect cannabis which later field-tested positive for pot were found in her purse, along with $134 cash. It was also learned that Franz had another active warrant for prostitution out of DuPage County.

While at the Downers Grove police station, officers had Franz remove her wig. Police also called the phone number on the Backpage ad, Franz’s cell phone began to ring in the booking room and it was taken into evidence, reports said.

She was released on an I-Bond on the prostitution and cannabis charges and was taken to the DuPage County Jail due to her outstanding warrant.

Franz’s next court appearance is Sept. 24.