The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force was launched two years ago today on National Human Trafficking Day (Jan. 11).

The task force is a collaboration of local, county, state, and federal government with private and non-profit organizations.  The task force aims to successfully investigate and prosecute crimes of human trafficking; ensure that all trafficking victims are identified and receive access to a comprehensive array of supportive services; and to foster community awareness through education and outreach.

Law Enforcement Measures

The HTTF made 49 arrests in 2023 through six details conducted throughout Lancaster County focused on those soliciting prostitution (‘Johns’) and persons soliciting minors for sexual activities.

The task force made 36 ‘John’ arrests, eight child predator arrests, and five prostitute arrests. Services were offered in six additional cases last year in lieu of prosecution.

The details again consisted of an online advertisement being created, and suspects placing calls to the number listed in the ad, speaking with an undercover detective, and agreeing to pay a fee for sexual contact with a prostitute or minor, whose age was discussed.  The suspects agreed to meet at pre-arranged locations.

The 36 individuals involved in ‘John’ arrests were charged with patronizing prostitutes, a third-degree misdemeanor. The suspects ranged in age from 25 to 62 and traveled from Berks, Chester, Dauphin, Franklin, Lehigh, and York Counties in Pennsylvania and Harford County in Maryland.

While a prostitution-related offense is graded as a misdemeanor, Pennsylvania legislation recently amended the current sex trafficking statute making it clear that those who buy sex from a human trafficking victim may be arrested and prosecuted as a sex trafficking offender, a felony of the first degree punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

“Our Task Force has been focusing on reducing the demand for these services since its inception,” Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams said. “By amending the human trafficking statute and increasing the potential penalties for a sex buyer, the legislature has recognized the importance of combating this demand as it is what fuels the traffickers to supply victims.”

Further legislation eliminated the requirement for a victim to identify their third-party trafficker to be considered a victim of human trafficking, and thus eligibility for certain support services.

The eight individuals charged in child predator stings were:

• Zakianny Maldonado, 32 of the 200 block of E. Main St., Ephrata, with patronizing a victim of human trafficking, three related felonious charges and one misdemeanor charge. Maldonado pleaded guilty in June and was sentenced to 2 ½ to 6 years in prison on Oct. 3, 2023.
• Brette Giles, 35 of the 5200 block of Wynnewood Road, Harrisburg, with two counts of patronizing a victim of human trafficking, four related felonious charges and two misdemeanor charges. Giles pleaded guilty and was sentenced up to 10 years in prison on March 11, 2024.
• Duane Shope, 68 of the 200 block of Reno Ave., New Cumberland, with unlawful contact with a minor, two related felonious charges and one misdemeanor charge.
• Benjamin Gill, 24 of the 400 block of Bentley Ridge Blvd., Lancaster, with two counts of patronizing a victim of human trafficking, four related felonious charges and two misdemeanor charges. Gill pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 16 months to 5 years in prison on Jan. 25, 2024.
• Warren Binkley, 35 of the 1800 block of Willow Street Pike, Lancaster, with two counts of statutory sexual assault (11 years older) and four related felonious charges.
• Mervin King, 36 of the 1000 block of Reading Road, Narvon, with two counts of patronizing a victim of human trafficking, four related felonious charges and two misdemeanor charges. King pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 2 to 10 years in prison on Jan. 18, 2024.
• Glenn Sager, 56 of the first block of Moccasin Drive, Ephrata, with two counts of statutory sexual assault (11 years older) and six related felonious charges. Sager pleaded guilty on Dec. 28, 2023, and was sentenced to 2 to 10 years in prison.
• Amir Hossain, 34 of the 2600 block of Standardbread Drive, with two counts of patronizing a victim of human trafficking, four related felonious charges and two misdemeanor charges.

Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick oversees the prosecution of these cases.

Victim Services and Public Outreach

The task force is equipped with trained advocates that can assist a victim immediately after being rescued through our collaboration with Zoe International, an international organization that works to fight human trafficking by prevention, rescue, and restoration.

The Zoe advocate acts as a caseworker and assists the victim each step of the way toward a restorative plan and more importantly, gives the victim 24/7 emotional support so the victim has the services and support in place that they need.  

The task force partners with Zoe international to:

• Identify youth who are vulnerable to being trafficked or who have previously been exploited. Once identified, Zoe then provides ongoing advocacy services for those children and their families. Zoe facilitates preventative, educational conversations to encourage and ensure their safety from human trafficking in the future. As needed, Zoe advocates meet regularly with at-risk youth and facilitate mentorship with the youth.
• Assist victims and survivors of human trafficking on an as-needed basis through legal, medical, and criminal justice systems. The task force provides emotional and legal support for victims and survivors of human trafficking through court cases, trials, and investigations; advocacy, support, safety, and confidentiality through relationship with a Zoe advocate; and works closely with victims to identify their unique needs and connect him/her to service providers, local resources and national resources for ongoing help and restoration.
• Visit local Children’s Homes, Children’s Shelters, Youth Intervention Centers, Prisons, and groups that serve at-risk and vulnerable populations to educate on human trafficking and online safety. Zoe helps to identify victims and ensure connections to direct-care services. Through outreach programs, Zoe facilitates groups that encourage physical, emotional, and mental growth of the child and works closely with children who have been trafficked previously and advocate for them through the process of healing, restoration, and reintegration.
• Provide human trafficking awareness and training to churches, social workers, social service agencies, businesses, non-profits, schools, health care workers, community groups and hotels. Our presentations educate participants, so they gain a better understanding of human trafficking both locally and nationally so that they are equipped to identify, respond and address the needs of victims in their workplace and community.

Some examples of community outreach and education include:

• District Attorney Heather Adams and Coordinator Brad Ortenzi spoke at the Anti-Human Trafficking Educational Awareness and Prevention Event hosted by Senator Ryan Aument at Warwick Middle School on Nov. 13, 2023, detailing the work of the Human Trafficking Task Force to members of the public.
• Coordinator Brad Ortenzi and District Attorney Heather Adams spoke to the Greater Lancaster Hotel Motel Association (GLHMA) at a monthly meeting in June at Hotel Rock Lititz. Members were educated about Lancaster’s Human Trafficking Task Force and how their association can assist.  Members of the association remarked that they are eager and committed to assist in the fight against Human Trafficking.  
• Coordinator Brad Ortenzi is currently testifying at the Pennsylvania Senate Committee hearing in Pittsburgh on the Human Trafficking prevention gaps addressed in Lancaster County. This strategy targets the prevention outreaches at vulnerable parts of our community: Youth Intervention Center, Lancaster County Prison, Child Advocacy Center, and area schools.

Organizations interested in learning more should contact Stephanie Wisler at the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office at 717-299-8100.

Participating police departments of the HTTF include East Cocalico Township, East Hempfield Township, East Lampeter Township, Ephrata Police Department, Lancaster City Bureau of Police, Lancaster County Detectives, Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department, Lititz Borough, Manor Township, Northwest Regional, Pennsylvania State Police and West Lampeter Township.

Reporting of suspicious activity believed or suspected to be human trafficking can be submitted by contacting LancasterPACrimeTips.com.

Last year’s HTTF yearly review can be seen here.

Five of the nine child predator defendants from 2022 have pleaded guilty and been sentenced: Jeffrey Fralich, Tanner Iskra, Jose Villa Corta, Joseph Giannini, and Grzegorz Marzec.

Bradley Buchanan was convicted by jury and awaits sentencing.

Cases for Troy Probst and Kyle Allen are actively being prosecuted.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc.