A judge called accusations that a Jeffery Manor man had “pimped out” a woman who he kept locked inside his South Side home “extremely disturbing” Thursday as prosecutors detailed charges that the man had forced her to perform sexual acts with men who paid him.
Randy Morgan, 49, invited the woman to come live with him after they became friends on Facebook in early October, Cook County prosecutors said at Morgan’s bail hearing.
He drove to Springfield later in the month to pick up the 32-year-old up after she told him she was unhappy with her current living situation.
When he brought her to his house, she found that there were wrought iron security doors on the front and back of the home that were locked “at all times” with a deadbolt, and bars over the windows that prevented anyone from getting in or out, prosecutors said.
The woman said Morgan would frequently leave the home, but would keep the door locked with a key, prosecutors said.
On one occasion, Morgan allegedly took the woman to a friend’s house. During the party, the woman said something that made Morgan feel “disrespected” and he struck her in the face with his open hand, prosecutors said.
On the way home from Morgan’s friend’s house, he allegedly struck her several more times, causing bruising and swelling to her face. Prosecutors said the beatings continued for two weeks, as Morgan’s mood changed frequently from “angry to sincere and back to angry in an effort to manipulate” the woman.
Morgan also allegedly threatened the woman with physical abuse if she ever tried to leave the house, prosecutors said.
At least four times, the woman had sex with men she did not know and that Morgan would charge by the half hour, prosecutors said. Morgan would come into her room after they left and take the money, which the woman was not allowed to keep. He also took pictures of her that he posted to an online account on a website.
A search for the website on Thursday found it was no longer operating and the domain name was available.
On Nov. 12, the woman reached out to a witness and the witness called police, who came to the home for a wellbeing check. After the woman came to the door, police learned she was unable to open it, and called the Chicago Fire Department to force entry.
Chicago police records show Morgan came to the front door while officers were there and closed it. The woman reopened the door “pleading for police to get her out of there.” As the fire department was attempting to open the door, Morgan produced a key and was taken into custody.
He faces felony counts of involuntary servitude and unlawful restraint.
An assistant public defender for Morgan said he was a high school graduate and was not currently employed, but previously worked as a recycling sorter.
At the hearing, Judge John F. Lyke Jr. said that if the accusations were true, Morgan had “pimped out” the woman and that, “Basically, he treated her like a sexual slave.”
“Bail would be tremendously inappropriate,” Lyke added and ordered Morgan held without bail.
Morgan was scheduled to appear in court next on Nov. 21.
