Lake County Gazette

A candidate for the Community High School District 117 school board in the April 1 election has expressed support for a bill currently being introduced in Illinois to decriminalize sex work.

“I support the bill to decriminalize sex work,” said Geoff Crego, an Antioch resident, in an interview with the Lake County Gazette. “I believe sex workers deserve safety and dignity. The proposal doesn't decriminalize trafficking, which should serve to discourage large operations where the workers are under threat. It's the oldest business on the planet, I think it's responsible to acknowledge that by making it safer.” 

The bill, backed by State Sen. Celina Villanueva and Rep. Will Guzzardi, aims to remove criminal penalties for consensual paid sex and erase arrest records for sex workers, allowing them to report crimes without fear of prosecution.

The legislation has been championed by groups like Equality Illinois and the Sex Worker Advisory Group, which includes a coalition of current and former sex workers.

However, critics like State Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park) have expressed concern that decriminalization would send the wrong message regarding accountability for illegal activities.

“It’s the drugs, the lifestyle and the pimps. It has nothing to do with the law on the books," Cabello told Center Square. "If that's the case, then why aren't there other people getting beat up for all of the other laws that are on the books? It means as though certain people in this state want to make it where we don’t have any penalty for anything you do wrong.”

Crego is running for a seat on the school board in District 117, which oversees the education of 2,600 students in grades 9-12 at Lakes Community High School and Antioch Community High School, serving Antioch, Lake Villa, Lindenhurst, and Old Mill Creek.

He faces competition from candidates Wayne A. Sobczak, Bruce Pagni, Jill Pritchard, Tracy Behnke, Ellen Ipsen, Julianne T. Hettich and John Russo.

Crego is a senior network monitoring engineer at CME Group and holds a bachelor’s degree in biology with a specialization in genetic engineering from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.