11/11) Criminai Complaint AUSA Christopher V, Pal-cute (312) 886?2447

 

JUN 2 0 2317 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
GBRUTON EASTERN DIVISION

  
 

CTCOURT
OF AMERICA
CASE NUMBE -

v. UNDER SEAL
GISIRAIE MARTIN

   

JOSEPH HAZLEY
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

I, the complainant in this case, state that the following is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
FrOm on or about December 6, 2016 to on or about December 24, 2016, at Chicago, in the Northern District
of Illinois, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, the defendantCs) violated: 

Code Section Offense Description

Title 18, United States Code, Section knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported,
1591(a) provided, obtained and maintained by any means a
person, namely, Minor A, and bene?ted ?nancially
and by receiving anything of value from participation
in a venture which has engaged in recruiting,
enticing, harboring, transporting, providing,
obtaining, and maintaining by any means a person,
namely, Minor A, having had the reasonable
opportunity to observe, knowing, and in reckless
disregard of the fact that Minor A had not yet attained
the age of eighteen and would be caused to engage in
a commercial sex act, in violation of Title 18, United

States Code, Sections 1591(a)

This criminal complaint is based upon these facts:

Continued on the attached sheet.

 

JONATHAN WILLIAMSON
Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI)

     

Sworn to before me and signed in my presence. 55% 0 Sam
$3

Date: June 20 2017 Judge?s signature

 

City and state: Chicago, Illinois DANIEL Judge
Printed name and title

 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS SS
AFFIDAVIT

I, JONATHAN WILLIAMSON, being duly sworn, state as follows:

1. I am a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and have
been so employed for 7 years. My current responsibilities include the investigation
of child exploitation and the traf?cking of children.

2. This af?davit is submitted in support of a criminal complaint alleging
that Joseph Hazley (HAZLEY) has violated Title 18, United States Code, Section
1591(a). Because this af?davit is being submitted for the limited purpose of
establishing probable cause in support of a criminal complaint charging HAZLEY
with seX traf?cking of a minor, I have not included each and every fact known to me
concerning this investigation. I have set forth only the facts that I believe are
necessary to establish probable cause to believe that the defendant committed the
offense alleged in the complaint.

3. This af?davit is based on my personal knowledge, information provided 
to me by other law enforcement agents and from persons with knowledge regarding
relevant facts.

Background of Investigation

4. On December 24, 2016, Minor A was found murdered in a garage in

Markham, Illinois. Minor A?s throat was slit and her body badly beaten. An autopsy

of Minor A?s body listed the cause of death as trauma related to the ?assault, stabbing,

 

strangulation and beating of Minor Law enforcement charged Individual A with
Minor A?s murder and the case is pending in Cook County Criminal Court.

5. Subsequent investigation revealed that Individual A contacted Minor A
after viewing a Backpage.com advertisement which featured Minor A?s photographs
and listed Minor A?s telephone number. Individual A contacted Minor A and
arranged two separate encounters with Minor A in the early morning hours of
December 24, 2016. As detailed below, HAZLEY drove Minor A to both of Minor A?s
encounters with Individual A and waited outside while Minor A met with Individual
A. HAZLEY remained in his parked vehicle just a few yards from the garage where
Minor A was murdered.

6. As detailed below, HAZLEY had been traf?cking Minor A throughout
the month of December 2016, arranging multiple dates for commercial so): each day
for Minor A using the website Backpage.com. I-IAZLEY posted Minor A?s ads,
instructed others to teach Minor A how to communicate with customers, provided
Minor A with clothing to wear on the dates, drove Minor A to the dates, and acted as
security for Minor A during her encounters with customers, all while having reason
to know Minor A was only 16 years old.

Facts Establishing Probable Cause

7. After discovering that Individual A met Minor A through Backpagecom,
the Federal Bureau of . Investigation (FBI) began investigating the suspected
traf?cking of Minor A. As detailed below, through interviews of cooperating

individuals, reviewing text messages, telephone records, and Facebook records, cell

 

site analysis, and interviews of customers of Minor A, as well as other evidence, the
FBI established that HAZLEY had been traf?cking Minor A throughout the month
of December 2016 up until the morning of her murder on Christmas?Eve 2016.
INDIVIDUAL 

8. Individual was a prostitute who began working for HAZLEYI- in
approximately August 2016.2 Individual stated that she was introduced to
HAZLEY by a girlfriend and moved into residence located on Gar?eld 
a short time later. Individual stated that within a few days of living at 
residence, I-IAZLEY told Individual that things were ?getting tigh and she needed
to start making some money. Individual stated HAZLEY started posting Individual
on the website Backpage.c0m, which is when she learned that he was referring to
prostitution. Individual stated that HAZLEY instructedlndividual how to word
the Backpage.com advertisement to get the best customers, took her photographs that
were used in the Backpage ads, provided Individual with clothing to wear on her
dates, and set the rates that Individual should charge customers for commercial
sex acts. Individual stated that HAZLEY paid for the Backpage.com ads through

Bitcoins he purchased at a local store and HAZLEY posted the ads using his home

 

1 Individual identi?ed a photograph of Joseph HAZLEY as the individual she worked for
as a prostitute and knew as Joseph HAZLEY.

2 Individual is a 19 year old female with no criminal convictions. Individual was granted
immunity by the U.S. Attorney?s Of?ce in exchange for her truthful information regarding
her involvement with HAZLEY and her knowledge of activities involving Minor
A. Individual Bhas received no other bene?t, nor has she been promised any other bene?t
from law enforcement in exchange for her cooperation.

 

computer. HAZLEY also gave Individual the nickname ?Winter? to use in the
Backpage advertisements.

9. Individual explained that HAZLEY would drive Individual to all her
dates and remained outside the location during the date to act as security. Individual
stated that HAZLEY instructed Individual to text him once she was inside with
a customer and gave her a code system to use when communicating with him.? For
example, Individual stated HAZLEY instructed her to text him if she needed 
help or if the customer agreed to pay for additional time.

10. Individual stated that HHAZLEY kept track of all the money she made
on the dates by reviewing her text messages with the customers and counting her
money after each date. Individual stated that initially HAZLEY would take 50%
of the money from each date, but after a few weeks HAZLEY began keeping all of the
money. Individual stated that she averaged 10 to 15 dates per day during the time
she worked for HAZLEY.

11. Individual stated that in the beginning, HAZLEY treated her well but
after about two months HAZLEY became physically abusive and would beat her.
Individual stated that the beatings left bruises on her body.3 Individual stated

she stopped working for HAZLEY in early December 2016.

 

3 Individual provided the FBI with photogi aphs of herself during this time depicting
bruises on her body which she stated resulted from beatings by HAZLEY. Individual stated
HAZLEY would beat her with wooden and metal spoons.

 

12. Individual stated that she ?rst met Minor A4 at residence
in October 2016. Individual stated that she believed Minor A appeared to be
approximately 15 or 16 years old because she looked young and seemed immature.
Individual stated that beginning in November 2016, HAZLEY began spending more
time with Minor A and Minor A ended up moving into new residence
located in the 6300 block of Racine.

13. Individual stated that approximately one week after Minor A moved
into residence, Individual observed HAZLEY posting Minor on
Backpagecom. Individual stated that HAZLEY gave Minor A the name ?Nicki? to
use in her Backpage ads. Individual stated that HAZLEY instructed Individual 
to teach Minor A how to communicate with the customers who contacted her from the
Backpage ads. Speci?cally, HAZLEY instructed Individual to teach Minor A how
to set times and prices with the customers to get the most money from each customer;
HAZLEY also ordered Individual to take photographs of ?Minor A to use in the
Backpage.com advertisements. Individual stated that I-IAZLEY drove Minor A to
all the dates and acted as security during Minor A?s dates.

14. I Individual stated that HAZLEY posted Minor A?s Backpage
advertisements on his home computer. Individual observed HAZLEY take Minor
A on approximately 5 to 6 dates per day during the four weeks that Individual lived

with HAZLEY and Minor A. Individual stated that once HAZLEY began taking

 

4 Individual identi?ed a photograph of Minor A as the individual she knew as Minor A.

 

Minor A out to meet with Backpage customers, the number of dates Individual had
to go out on for I-IAZLEY decreased.

15. Individual stated that I-IAZLEY occasionally set up Backpage dates
where both Individual and Minor A would meet with the same customer.
Individual stated that HAZLEY would say, ?two girls equals more money.?
Individual recalled going on approximately 6 or 7 joint dates with Minor A.
According to Individual B, HAZLEY kept all of the money made from Individual B?s
joint dates with Minor A.

16. I According to Individual B, HAZLEY had sex with Minor A on multiple
occasions at his residence. Individual explained she knew this because she lived
with HAZLEY and observed HAZLEY sharing a bedroom with Minor A and would
hear them having sex through the walls. Individual also recalled a time when she
walked into bedroom and observed him having sex with Minor A.
HAZLEY asked Individual to participate in a threesome with him and Minor A, but 
Individual refused. I-IAZLEY ordered Individual to sit in his bedroom and watch
HAZLEY have sex with Minor A.

17. Individual left I-IAZLEY sometime in early December 2016.
Individual later received a call from Minor A asking how to leave HAZLEY.
Individual told Minor A she was getting her own apartment and she could help
Minor A. Individual never heard from Minor A again and later learned of Minor

A?s murder.

 

18. Individual stated that a few days after Minor A was murdered,
I-IAZLEY called Individual and stated, ?now that she?s gone, I got no money coming
in.? HAZLEY asked Individual to come back and work for him but Individual 
. refused. According to Individual B, I-IAZLEY later sent a test message to Individual
stating, ?I?m not the one to mess with bitch!?

MINOR A

19. Minor A was born in March 2000 and was 16 years old when she was
murdered. In November 2016, Minor A was residing with her grandparents. On
November 29, 2016, Minor A ran away from her grandparents? residence and was
reported missing to the Chicago Police Department. As detailed in this af?davit,
Minor A resided with I-IAZLEY throughout December 2016 up until her death.
Through the review of Facebook ads, Minor A?s text messages, telephone records, cell
site analysis, interviews of customers, and examination of other evidence, I have been
able to establish multiple dates that HAZLEY took Minor A to during the month of
December 2016, including her ?nal date on December 24, 2016, where Minor A was
murderedwhile HAZLEY sat in his car just yards away from the garage where Minor
A was killed. These December encounters are detailed below.

December 10, 2016

20. On December 10, 2016, an advertisement depicting Minor A was posted
on the website Backpage.com. The advertisement read, ?Hi Guys My Name Is Nicki
I?m New In town for a short stay and looking for upscale Gentlemen to have a great

I time with I am independent No Law Enforcement Or Police Of Any kind..No

 

Pimps..No AA under 30 All Donations are for my time (Companionship) All My Pics
are 100% Real So Why \Wait Call or Text Me now.? The ad listed telephone number
ending in 7179 as the contact number.5

21. Records obtained from Backpage.com identi?ed the IP address used to
post this Backpage ad. Records obtained from Comcast show the IP address was
assigned to Customer Joseph Hazley who resided at a residence in the 6300 block of
Racine.

22. A review of the text messages from Minor A?s phone from December 10,
2016, indicate that Minor A arranged to meet a customer who viewed Minor A?s
Backpage ad for purposes of providing a commercial sex act. At approximately
3:00a.m., a customer texted Minor A stating, ?Hey. . .I?m by Midway.? The customer
stated, ?is two of us, so two [The customer is telling Minor A that there will
be two customers who are interested in a commercial sex act with her.]6 Minor A

I

responded at 3:06am. stating, ?My Qv donations start at 120.. .Each.? charge $120

 

5 The 7179 telephone is the cell phone Minor A used during her time with HAZLEY. Law
enforcement believes this for the following reasons: (1) the phone was found on Minor A at
the time of her murder; (2) Minor A?s family members contacted her at that number in
December 2016; (3), HAZLEY identi?ed the number as belonging to Minor A when he was
interviewed by law enforcement after Minor A?s murder; (4) text messages recovered from
the 7179 phone identify Minor A as the user; and (5) Minor A gave out this number to friends
on Facebook as her contact number. Law enforcement believe the cell phone originally
belonged to HAZLEY based on photographs and documents belonging to HAZLEY that were
found on the phone including his resume and file of automobile insurance
card.

6 I have included my interpretation of the text messages in brackets. My interpretation is
based on my eight years of experience as an FBI agent working sexual exploitation cases, as
well as my knowledge of this investigation.

 

per person] Three minutes later, at 3:093..m., Minor A texted HAZLEY at a telephone
number ending in 00727 and had the following exchange:

Minor A: Question

MinorA: I do I answer text that say it?s more than one person

HAZLEY: No

Minor A: okay thanks

23. The customer later provided Minor A with an exact address to meet at
which was a hotel located near Midway airport. At 4:37a.m., Minor A texted the
customer ?I?m outside the door.? At 4:58 Minor A texted HAZLEY, ?Can you
drive up to the front. It?s cold.?

24.- A review of cell site records for Minor A and cell phones show
both Minor A?s and cell phones utilizing cell towers in the area of the hotel
near Midway airport around 4:58 am. on December 10, 2016.

December 13, 2016

25. On December 12, 2016, an advertisement depicting Minor A was posted
on the website Backpagecom offering Minor A?s ?companionship.? The
advertisement listed telephone number ending in 7179 ,as the contact number.

Records obtained from Backpagecom identi?ed the IP address used to post this

 

7 Law enforcement believe the 0072 number belongs to HAZLEY based on the following: (1)
the number is subscribed in name; (2) HAZLEY identi?ed the number as being
his number to law enforcement on December 24, 2016; (3) Individual identi?ed the number
as belonging to and (4) the number is a saved contact in Minor A?s phone under
the name ?Joe.?

 

Backpage ad. Records obtained from Comcast show the IP address was assigned to
I Customer Joseph Hazley who resided at a residence in the 6300 block of Racine. 

26. A review of the text messages from Minor A?s phone from December 13,
2016, indicate that Minor A arranged to meet a customer (Individual C) who viewed
Minor A?s Backpage ad for purposes of providing a commercial seX act. At
approximately 1:30a.m., Individual texted Minor A his address. One minute later,
at approximately 1:31a.m., Minor A texted HAZLEY stating, ?I?ve got a address. Let
me know when you pulling up I?ll just come out.?

27. At 2:13a.m., Minor A texted Individual C, ?I?m outside.? Nine minutes
later, at 2:22a.m., Minor A and HAZLEY engaged in the following text exchange:

Minor A: I?m leaving 

Minor A: He only got 80 dollars

HAZLEY: 0k 

Minor A: He said can he get 5 minutes for 100

HAZLEY: 0k get da 100

HAZLEY: We here now

28. A review of cell site records for Minor A and cell phones show
both Minor A?s and cell phones utilizing cell towers in the area of
Individual C?s residence around 2:11am. on December 13, 2016.

29. Law enforcement interviewed Individual as part of this investigation.
Individual admitted to utilizing Backpagecom to engage in commercial seX acts

with women.

10

 

December 14, 2016

30. On December 14, 2016, an advertisement depicting Minor A was posted on
the website Backpagecom offering Minor A?s ?companionship.? The advertisement
listed telephone number ending in 7179 as the contact number. Records obtained
from Backpage.com identi?ed the IP address used to post this Backpage ad. Records
obtained fr'Om Comcast show that at the time of the ad?s initial creation, the IP
address was assigned to Customer Joseph Hazley who resided at a residence in the
6300 block of Racine.

31. A review of the text messages from Minor A?s phone from December 14,
2016, indicate that Minor A arranged to meet a customer (Individual D) who viewed
Minor A?s Backpage ad for purposes of providing a commercial sex act. At
approximately 9:10a.m., Individual texted Minor A stating, ?I?m you
ready to come see me.? Minor A responded, "Yes. Address.? Individual responded
with his address which was located in Orland Park. Minor A asked, ?How long did
you want again.? Individual responded, ?How much for [How much do you
.charge for a half hour?]. Minor A responded, ?160.?

32. At 10:51a.m., Minor A texted Individual D, ?I?m on the block now.?
Individual reSponded, ?Park there I just saw you.? At 11:07a.m., Individual 
texted Minor A, ?Thank you again.?

33. A review of cell site records for Minor A and cell phones show
both Minor A?s and cell phones utilizing cell towers in the area of

Individual D?s residence in Orland Park around 10:54am. on December 14, 2016.

11

 

34-. Law enforcement interviewed Individual as part of this investigation.8
Individual admitted to utilizing Backpage.c0m to engage in commercial seX acts.
Individual identi?ed a photograph of Minor A and stated he engaged in a
commercial sex act with her in December 2016 at his residence. Individual stated
he observed Minor A arrive in a white sedan vehicle and recalled another female
being with Minor A. I

December 15, 2016

35. At approximately 10:35pm, Minor A texted HAZLEY, ?Post me.?
Backpage records indicate an ad depicting Minor A was posted on December 15, 2016.
Records obtained from Backpage.com identi?ed the IP address used to post this
Backpage ad. Records obtained from Comcast show that at the time of the ad?s initial
creation, the address was assigned to Customer Joseph Hazley who resided at a
residence in the 6300 block of Racine.

December 16, 2016

36. On December 16, 2016, an advertisement depicting Minor A was posted
on the website Backpage.com offering Minor A?s ?companionship.? The
advertisement listed telephone number ending in 7179 as the contact number.
Records obtained from Backpagecom identi?ed the IP address used to post this

Backpage ad. Records obtained from Comcast show that at the time of the ad?s initial

 

3 Individual has no prior felony convictions. No payments or promises were made to him
as part of this investigation. . .

12

 

creation, the IP address was assigned to Customer Joseph Hazley who resided at a
residence in the 6300 block of Racine.

37. A review of the text messages from Minor A?s phone from December 16,
2016, indicate that Minor A arranged to meet a customer who viewed Minor A?s
Backpage ad for purposes of providing a commercial sex act. The customer was
staying at hotel in downtown Chicago and provided Minor A with his room number.
At 3:38a.m., Minor A texted the customer, ?I?m here.? The customer responded, ?you
have to get the elevator on your right. When you come in make a right.? Five minutes
later, atapproximately 3:43a.m., Minor A texted HAZLEY, ?okay He paid for a hour.?

- December 19, 2016

38. On December 19, 2016, an advertisement depicting Minor A was posted
on the website Backpage.com offering Minor A?s ?companionship.? The
advertisement listed telephone number ending in 7179 as the contact number.
Records obtained from Backpagecom identi?ed the IP address used to post this
Backpage ad. Records obtained from Comcast show that at the time of the ad?s initial
creation, the IP address was assigned to Customer Joseph Hazley who resided at a
residence in the 6300 block of Racine.

39. A review of the text messages from Minor A?s phone from December 19,
2016, indicate that Minor A arranged to meet a customer who viewed Minor A?s
Backpage ad for purposes of providing a commercial sex act. At approximately
9:20p.m., the customer texted Minor A giving his address. At 9:22pm., Minor A

responded, How much time you want? The customer responded, ?Quick visit. How

13

 

much? At 9:27p.m. Minor A stated, ?120.? At 10:27 MinorA texted the customer,
?I?m outside.?

40. A review of cell site records for Minor A and cell phones show
both Minor A?s and cell phones utilizing cell towers in the area of the
customer?s residence around 10:27pm. on December 19, 2016.

December 21, 2016

41. On December 21, 2016, an advertisement depicting Minor A was posted
on the website Backpage.com offering Minor A?s ?companionship.? The
advertisement listed telephone number ending in. 7179 as the contact number.
Records obtained from Backpage.com identi?ed the IP address used to post this
Backpage ad. Records obtained from Comcast show that at the time of the ad?s initial
creation, the IP address was assigned to Customer Joseph Hazley who resided at a
residence in the 6300 block of Racine.

42. At approximately 1:48a.m., the following text exchange took place
between Minor A and HAZLEY:

Minor A: I forgot a condom

HAZLEY: Make sure check yo money

HAZLEY: When get back up

Minor A: I did

December 24, 2016
43. On December 24, 2016, an advertisement depicting Minor A and offering

her services was posted on the website Backpage.com. The advertisement listed

14

 

telephone number ending in 7179 as the contact number. Records obtained from
Backpagecom identi?ed the IP address used to?post this Backpage ad. Records
obtained from Comcast show that at the time of the ad?s initial creation, the IP
address was assigned to Customer Joseph Hazley who resided at a residence in the
6300 block of Racine.

44. A review of Minor A?s cell phone indicates text message and telephone
call communication with Individual A regarding an encounter for a commercial sex
act. At 12:15 Individual A texted Minor A his address. At 12:17 am. Individual
A texted ?How long?? Minor A responded, ?35 minutes.? At 2:09a.m., Individual A
texted Minor A stating, ?Come bak in wen dun ima do anotha round.? At 2:18am,
Minor A responded stating, ?You have the donations? Individual A responded ?yup.?
Minor A instructed Individual A to ?Come to the car.?

45. At approximately 6:28am. on December 24, 2016, Individual A
contacted Minor A again by text message and stated, ?Can cum over I got cash plus
ma uncle At 6:52a.m., Minor texted Individual A, ?I?m outside.? At
approximately 9:22a.m., Minor A?s body was discovered by law enforcement inside a
garage where her encounter with Individual A took place.

I 46. In an interview with law enforcement following Minor A?s murder,
Individual A acknowledged meeting with Minor A for purposes of a commercial sex
act on two separate occasions on December 24, 2016. Individual A stated that he paid

Minor A $100 for the initial commercial sex act.

15

 

47. According to responding officers, HAZLEY and Individual were
present in vehicle outside the garage where Minor A was killed when law
enforcement arrived on the scene. HAZLEY told law enforcement that during the
early morning hours of December 24., 2016, he drove Minor A to the location she was
murdered at to work as a dancer at a party. HAZLEY identi?ed a photograph of
Individual -A as the person Minor A met with when they arrived at the location.
HAZLEY stated about half an hour later, Minor A returned to his car and they left
the area to pick up a friend (Individual E). HAZLEY stated that sometime later that
morning, he drove Minor A back to the area where she again met with Individual A.
HAZLEY stated that he and Individual remained in vehicle parked
outside the garage where Minor A?s encounter took place and fell asleep. HAZLEY
stated that around 9:00am. he woke up and went to look for Minor A and found her
body laying on the ground inside the garage.

48. Individual was interviewed by law enforcement on December 24, 2016.
Individual identi?ed herself as girlfriend. Individual stated that
I-IAZLEY introduced her to Minor A approximately one month before Minor A?s
murder. Individual acknowledged driving to Markham with HAZLEY and Minor
A and seeing Minor A walk away from vehicle with Individual A.
Individual stated that she fell asleep with HAZLEY inside of vehicle
while waiting for Minor A to return. Individual recalled being awoken by
Individual A knocking on the window of vehicle saying that ?your friend

will be out in a minute.? Individual stated Minor A never returned.

16

 

Facebook Records

49. On March 23, 2017 a search warrant was executed on Minor A?s
Facebook account. In a Facebook posting on December 15, 2016, Minor A wrote in a
private message to longtime friend, ?I?m in a situation where I?m bring9 pimped.?
Minor A continued, ?he won?t let me leave.? In the same conversation just seconds
later, Minor A stated, ?I?m at his house on 63rd and Racine.? IP records from
Facebook for this posting indicate that the IP address used for this posting belonged
to Comcast Customer Joseph Hazley who resided in the 6300 block of Racine.

50. On June 20, 2017, law enforcement received the Facebook records from
Facebook account. In a private Facebook message on December 16, 2016,

HAZLEY wrote, ?this da new girl Nicki? followed by a photograph of Minor A.

 

9 Minor A sent another message seconds later correcting ?bring? to ?being.?

1'7

 

CONCLUSION
51. Based on the information in this af?davit, there is probable cause to
believe that Joseph HAZLEY engaged in sex traf?cking of minors, in violation of Title

?18, United States Code, Section 1591(a).

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NOT.

 

JONATHAN WILLIAMSON
Special Agent, Federal Bureau of
Investigation

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me on June 20, 2017{1-441

DANIEL G. MARTIN
United States Magistrate Judge

 

 

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