In a recent sting operation aimed at curtailing illegal prostitution and the enticement of minors, Springfield law enforcement officials have taken into custody three men in separate incidents. The sting, conducted by the Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit, Massachusetts State Police High Risk Victims Unit, and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, utilized a fictitious juvenile escort profile posted online, which entrapped two of the men when they arrived at a hotel where the meeting was arranged.
As reported by the official City of Springfield Police Department News, the suspects were apprehended on Tuesday. Peter Chang, 49, of Enfield, Connecticut, and Vaughn Davis, 34, of West Springfield were both arrested upon their arrival at the designated hotel, having believed to be meeting with a minor for sexual conduct.
The third arrest occurred in a related operation on Wednesday. Targeting the South End neighborhood for various criminal activities, officers including those from Springfield Police Firearms Investigation Unit and the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department spotted a woman loitering and subsequently getting into a vehicle, at which point they initiated surveillance and made a traffic stop on Sumner Terrace, arresting the driver, Luis Negron.
Negron, 42, of Naugatuck, Connecticut, was charged with engaging in sexual conduct for a fee. Unlike his co-accused, Chang and Davis are facing more serious charges, including "Pay for Sexual Conduct with a Child Under 18," "Enticement of a Child Under 16," and "Attempt to Commit a Crime," according to the Springfield Police Department's statement.
