A disturbing series of allegations have emerged, implicating a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer in serious federal civil rights violations. The officer, Luis Uribe, hailing from Pingree Grove, Illinois, stands accused of using his position to exploit and harm multiple women in the Chicago suburbs, as revealed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.

On Tuesday, an indictment was unsealed in Chicago, detailing the charges against the 44-year-old Uribe. He faces 10 counts of deprivation of civil rights under color of law, alongside a charge for brandishing a firearm during a violent crime. These charges paint a grim picture of alleged misconduct by someone entrusted with enforcing the law.

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Uribe, who was tasked with customs and immigration duties in the Chicago region, held the authority to carry a firearm and make arrests. However, the indictment claims he misused this power egregiously. According to court documents, Uribe was stationed at Chicago O’Hare International Airport when these alleged incidents occurred.

Prosecutors assert that Uribe preyed on his victims, including sex workers, by committing assaults and attempted assaults in various suburban hotels. The accusations are particularly severe, with Uribe allegedly sexually assaulting and robbing two women in the towns of Schaumburg and Naperville in 2022. In at least one instance, he is said to have used a firearm to intimidate his victim.

Uribe allegedly sexually assaulted and robbed two women in Schaumburg and Naperville in 2022. He allegedly brandished a firearm in at least one of the sexual assaults.

Uribe also robbed and tried to sexually assault two other women, the indictment alleges.

After word of the attacks started to spread among the sex worker community, court documents say that in early 2022, one worker arranged to meet Uribe at a restaurant, where they snapped a photo of him. That witness then shared the photo with others, in order to warn potential victims.

Months later, prosecutors say, Uribe assaulted a woman, identified as Victim C, in a Schaumburg hotel room. She was able to provide police with the photo taken at that restaurant, clearly identifying the suspect.

The FBI pulled tollway data showing the suspect had traveled between Devon Toll Plaza and Elgin Toll Plaza. The hotel where the alleged attack happened is located between those toll plazas.

Uribe, arrested Tuesday morning, pleaded not guilty during his afternoon arraignment.

The government urged the judge to deny bond for Uribe, saying, “there may be additional victims identified in the future.”

Judge Keri L. Holleb Hotaling ordered Uribe detained and scheduled his next hearing for Monday at 1:30 p.m.

If convicted, Uribe faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of life.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office asked anyone with information to call 312-239-7423.