A federal jury in Chicago has found Kennard Cameron guilty of sex trafficking a minor after he recruited and enticed a 15-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts at a motel in Lansing, Illinois, during 2023. According to prosecutors, Cameron photographed the minor in lingerie and nude, then posted these images online as part of commercial sex advertisements. He arranged meetings with individuals who responded to the ads and, along with a co-conspirator, required the girl to hand over all proceeds from these encounters.
Cameron, age 40 and a resident of Chicago, was convicted on one count of sex trafficking of a minor and one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor. The verdict came after a week-long trial held in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison and could receive up to life imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2026 by U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey.
The conviction was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Chang and Caitlin Walgamuth are representing the government.
"If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
