Chicago man arrested after allegedly forcing abducted women into prostitution

A Chicago man has been arrested after allegedly abducting a 33-year-old woman, beating her routinely, as well as forcing her into prostitution.  

Kenneth Allen, 34, was taken into custody on Tuesday and subsequently charged with Class X human trafficking and aggravated unlawful restraint.  

According to CWB Chicago, Allen allegedly forced the victim into his apartment on the 1400 block of West 15th Street at gunpoint in November 2023. For the next two months, she stayed in one of his rooms and was routinely ordered to have sex with random strangers for money, which Allen kept for himself.  

She was surveilled upon 24/7 via a baby monitor, and only fed once per day, with Allen allegedly giving her drugs if she said she was hungry aside from that. He allegedly beat her or threatened her with a handgun if she didn't earn enough, or tried to leave, which he repeatedly told her she could not until he died. 

When Allen was away, his girlfriend was put in charge, and she, too, soon became a victim of his wrath. She is not facing any charges in connection with the crime. 

The victim would occasionally have telephone sessions with men at Allen's request, and during one of those sessions, she instead texted a helpline that led law enforcement to the apartment. 

Officers from the Chicago Police Department soon showed up alongside their colleagues from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and arrested Allen. 

As CWB Chicago reports, Allen was described as a "registered Mafia Insane Vice Lord" in his arrest report, referring to a gang that has long ruled a part of the city and whose members have been known to partake in criminal activity. 

Allen was sentenced in 2020 to three years in prison for vehicular invasion and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He also had felony narcotics convictions dating back to 2013 and 2016. 

He is being held in jail while he awaits trial.