Highland Park Kung Fu Instructor Faces Sex-Related Charges
HIGHLAND PARk, Ill. (STMW) -- The owner of a martial arts studio has been charged with promoting prostitution and solicitation of a sexual act in north suburban Highland Park.
Richard Baron, 33, the owner of Kung Fu Power in downtown Highland Park, was arrested by Highland Park police Aug. 6 after a July 29 complaint triggered an investigation, police said.
Baron allegedly solicited a sex act from a woman for money and attempted to arrange sex acts for other people for money, Lake County State's Attorney's office spokesman Fred Day said.
He was charged with two counts of promoting prostitution and one count of solicitation of a sexual act.
Baron, of the 300 block of Park Avenue in Highland Park, runs a first-floor martial arts studio at 1770 First St. in Highland Park. The studio offers individual and group classes for youth and adults in martial arts, Tai Chi and Qigong. According to Baron's website, he also offers teen mentoring.
"As soon as the complainant came forward, the Highland Park Police Department launched an immediate investigation," said police Chief Paul Shafer. "Our police department takes all information provided by the public seriously and investigates all claims thoroughly and expeditiously."
After receiving the complainant, Highland Park police worked with the Lake County Sheriff's Department and investigators from the Lake County State's Attorney office to piece together enough information to obtain warrants, police said. The arrest occurred at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 6.
"The Highland Park Police Department continues to do exemplary work and we appreciate their swift action in this case," Mayor Nancy Rotering said.
Baron's bond was set at $25,000 during his initial appearance in Lake County Circuit Court in Waukegan.
Baron previously ran Kung Fu Power out of a studio in the Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills, according to police and his website. In May, he opened at the downtown Highland Park location, initially subleasing a portion of the space previously occupied by Nova-HP, a youth center for high school students.
A city zoning memo in June described the enterprise as fledgling, but said he'd operated his business as a personal service for 17 years.
Police are asking anyone with additional information to contact the Highland Park Police Department at (847) 432-7730 or their local law enforcement agency.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2013. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
