Women Charged with Pimping, Child Exploitation

Two Indiana women are accused of prostituting a 15-year-old girl at a Romeoville hotel, police said.

Tatianna M. Ricchio and Heather M. Johnson, both 20 and of the 3800 block of Drummond in Hammond, are charged with juvenile pimping, exploitation of a child and pandering after being arrested early Saturday at a hotel in the 1200 block of Lakeview Drive.

Romeoville Assistant Police Chief Steven Lucchesi said an officer approached the women after spotting them sitting in vehicle shortly after midnight in the hotel parking lot. Based on previous incidents at the hotel, the officer asked the women if they were involved in prostitution.

Lucchesi said Ricchio, the driver of the vehicle, denied involvement but said she had knowledge of another individual engaging in prostitution in a room at the hotel.

“In that room was a 15-year-old-girl who had engaged in prostitution,” Lucchesi said.

Despite Ricchio’s denial, police said the two women were “absolutely linked” to the underage prostitute.

Lucchesi said the teenager was taken into protective custody by the Will County Health Department before being taken to a psychiatric facility in Chicago.

In addition to the pimping and child exploitation charges, Ricchio is charged with criminal trespassing, Lucchesi said, after having previously ordered to stay away from the Lakeview Drive hotel.

Johnson was also charged with underage possession of alcohol.

A third occupant of Ricchio’s vehicle, a 16-year-old girl, was taken into custody on a warrant for contempt of court, police said. She was remanded to the River Valley Juvenile Detention Center.

Ricchio and Johnson remained in custody at the Will County jail as of late Monday afternoon. Bond had yet to be set for the women, according to the sheriff’s department website.

Lucchesi said the case remains under investigation.