Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Two Springfield residents were arrested late last month as part of what Illinois State Police is calling a “human trafficking demand suppression operation.”
Troopers say. in a news releases, charges of Traveling to Meet a Minor has been filed against Raymond Stengel, Sr., 74; while that charge and counts of Indecent Solicitation of a Minor and Solicitation to Meet a Child have been filed against Lucas Barria24
Officials say the arrests happened during an investigation June 24 and 25th into “individuals seeking to engage in commercial sex acts.”
Court records indicate Stengel and Barria will be back in court next Thursday, July 16, and both are out of jail and on electronic home monitoring.
“Human trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts, labor, or services against their will. ISP continues its multifaceted approach toward protecting those most vulnerable with its ongoing statewide human trafficking enforcement operations,” said a news release. “The signs of human trafficking can be subtle; to learn more, please visit Recognizing the Signs | National Human Trafficking Hotline.
“If you suspect human trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text *233733. For more information visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. You can also email ISP.CrimeTips@illinois.gov.”
