The DuPage Children’s Museum board member who was charged with soliciting a sex act last week during an undercover prostitution sting resigned Monday night.

Fourteen people, including Steven M. Gillhouse, were arrested Sept. 4 in connection with prostitution or soliciting the act during the sting, conducted by the Westmont and Willowbrook police departments and DuPage Metropolitan Enforcement Group.

Gillhouse, 50, of 920 Sanctuary Lane in Naperville, was one of 11 men charged with solicitation of a sexual act, a Class A misdemeanor. Three women were also charged as a result of the sting with prostitution, a Class A misdemeanor.

Gillhouse sat on the board of directors at the DuPage County Children’s Museum, a private, nonprofit organization in Naperville.

Gillhouse said Monday  he will plead not guilty to the charge, however Sue Broad, the museum’s executive director, said Gillhouse resigned from the board Monday evening.
She declined to elaborate. Gillhouse could not be reached on Wednesday.

Westmont police Sgt. Jim Gunther said during the one-day operation, female undercover officers placed ads on the Internet and received telephone calls from suspects wanting sex for money. When the suspects arrived at a predetermined location, they were taken into custody.

Additionally, male undercover officers called telephone numbers from ads offering sex for money posted on the Internet. When the females who answered the calls arrived at a predetermined location, they were taken into custody.

Residents from Downers Grove, Darien and Lombard were also among the 14 total charged.
Anthony R. Rossi, 40, 1274 Barneswood Drive, Downers Grove, and Robert K. Dogan, 54, 7756 Brunswick Road, Darien, were both with charged solicitation of a sexual act.

Carrie M. Schraft, 30, 548 Harmony Lane, Lombard, was charged with prostitution.

All 14 suspects were processed at the Willowbrook and Westmont police stations and released from custody after posting the appropriate bond, Gunther said.

Gunther said the investigation was intended to address the ongoing problem of Internet prostitution and serve as a deterrent.

“Due to the success of the investigation, it’s fair to say we’ll be doing them again in the future,” he said.

In addition to Gillhouse, Rossi and Dogan, the following men were charged with one count of solicitation of a sex act:
Daniel P. Modesto, 48, 2503 River Bend Lane, Plainfield.
John R. McKenna, 48, 4648 W. 50005 Road, Kankakee.
Rafal Zabiegly, 29, 4121 North Odell Ave., Norridge.
Horace D. Guthrie, 42, 3208 Sandy Ridge Drive, Steger.
Fritz R. Schriever, 46, 220 E. Fremont Ave., Elmhurst.
Anthony L. Catalano, 35, 416 Beverly Ave., Villa Park.
Allan R. Luebbers, 29, 1308 Cumberland Drive, Joliet.
Police did not name one of the men, citing an ongoing investigation.

In addition to Schraft, the following women were charged with one count of prostitution:
Sara J. Heyl, 22, 1137 Elliot Ave., Aurora.
Amy E. Richard, 32, 326 South Yale Ave., Villa Park.