Swansea police, in collaboration with the Massachusetts State Police High Risk Victims Unit and Somerset Police Department Detectives Division, carried out a joint human trafficking sting on Tuesday, leading to the arrests of three men. David Afriyie, 19, of Pawtucket; Joseph Wood, 38, of Hanson; and Manuel Costa, 39, of Westport, were all charged with enticing a child under 16, engaging in sexual conduct for a fee with a child under 18, and attempted rape of a child.
The arrests were part of an undercover operation where a police officer posed as a child under the age of 16, offering themselves for sex. The three men were arraigned in Fall River District Court on Wednesday afternoon and all pleaded not guilty. Their bail was set at $5,000, and they were ordered not to have contact with children under 18. However, some community members questioned whether the bail was set too low.
“Human trafficking is a serious issue, and I don’t think anyone should be allowed to get out so easily,” said Damon Nix, a local resident.
Defense attorneys for the men argued for their release, citing their clean records and family backgrounds. Costa’s attorney mentioned that Costa has three children of his own and no allegations of misconduct, while Wood’s attorney highlighted his client’s status as a full-time college student. Afriyie’s defense attorney also emphasized his client’s educational pursuits.
The sting operation was initiated after an online ad was posted, and investigators used it to catch the suspects. New Bedford teacher Christina Pons, who expressed concern about the incident, said, “You always hear these things on the news, and you never think that it’s in your community. Our students are on technology all the time, and it’s almost like they’re desensitized to many of the dangers out there.”
Swansea Police Chief Mark Foley stated that the operation was a valuable opportunity to prevent similar incidents and protect children. “If there’s one kid out there we can prevent something from happening to, we’ve done our job,” said Foley.
All three men are due back in court next month for further proceedings.
