Sex Trafficking Defendant Arrested Near Joliet: Sheriff

JOLIET, IL — A 37-year-old California man facing sex trafficking charges in Arizona was captured this week near Joliet's stretch of the Interstate 80 corridor, the Will County Sheriff's Office announced. On Tuesday, Kenneth George of Los Angeles, was pulled over along the eastbound stretch of Interstate 80 near Interstate 55, police said.

Sheriff's deputies stopped George because he kept switching lanes without signaling, authorities said.

"When deputies began checking the status of the driver's license it was revealed that the name on the license was an alias for Kenneth Vrail George, age 38, of Los Angeles, California," the Will County Sheriff's Office announced.

George faced an active fugitive warrant from April 24 out of Maricopa County, Arizona related to charges of sex trafficking and drug charges, Will County noted.

After being confronted with his real identity, George claimed he did not feel well, and he laid on the ground and stopped answering questions, the sheriff's office indicated.

George was taken to AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center where doctors determined he was not sick, authorities said.

"George refused to state his true identity," Will County police said. "However, photos of George were provided to deputies from Maricopa County, which matched Kenneth George. He was charged with obstructing identification and obstructing justice."

George was booked into the Will County Jail around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7. He remained in Will County custody on Thursday.

In the coming days, Arizona authorities plan to extradite George back to their state to face the felony sex trafficking charges, Will County indicated.