Three residents of Cape Cod are facing severe legal consequences after being indicted on charges related to human trafficking in separate incidents, as detailed by recent reports from the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office. Luca Aguilar, a 20-year-old from Brewster, was arraigned on Dec. 11 in Barnstable Superior Court on numerous charges including trafficking of a person under 18 for sexual servitude, according to Boston.com, which first brought the situation to light. The investigation by Barnstable Police started in April when allegations surfaced of a 15-year-old girl being exploited in exchange for marijuana and vapes. Additionally, Aguilar is accused of engaging in sexual activity and soliciting nude images from two other underage girls.
The situation involving Aguilar is just one facet of a larger issue being tackled by a task force specifically instituted in 2023 to address such violations on the Cape and the Islands. Both Rina Althany Hernandez Alcantara and Ionut Andrei Stamatin also find themselves entangled in the legal system owing to related impropriety. According to the Boston.com report, Hernandez Alcantara was seen by a Yarmouth patrol officer in an event that raised suspicions of sexual activity in a local business parking lot. Indicted on Dec. 5, Hernandez Alcantara is due to contend with charges of trafficking a person for sexual servitude.
Each defendant reveals a disquieting element of the crimes being perpetrated against the youth in our communities. As informed by the Cape Cod Times, Stamatin was snared by state police during a human trafficking operation on Oct. 1, believed to be arranging to engage in paid sexual activities with a 15-year-old. The grand jury indicted Stamatin on Dec. 10, on charges including paying for sexual conduct with a child under 18 and several others.
Following his arraignment, Aguilar was slapped with a $15,000 bond and must adhere to strict conditions such as GPS tracking, turning over his passport, respecting a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, and avoiding contact with his alleged victim. His pretrial conference is set for Jan. 1.
