Adam Hileman, 43, of Brackenridge, Pennsylvania is facing multiple charges in Ohio and Pennsylvania after attempting to pay for sex with a 15-year-old girl and subsequently fleeing from law enforcement officers who were waiting to arrest him. In Ohio, Hileman faces charges of felonious assault, compelling prostitution, attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, and engaging in prostitution. In Pennsylvania, Hileman also faces related charges such as driving under the influence, reckless driving, and fleeing criminal mischief.
Hileman’s arrest stems from an undercover sting conducted by Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force. Hileman allegedly told undercover agents that he “likes them young,” and attempted to purchase sex from a minor. On February 1, Hileman drove to Columbiana County, Ohio where he allegedly believed he was going to meet up with the 15-year-old girl. Instead, authorities were waiting at the location to arrest him.
Hileman allegedly tried to avoid arrest, and rammed his car into an officer at the scene before driving 20 miles into Beaver County, Pennsylvania where he was eventually stopped. Hileman refused to exit his car and appeared under the influence, prompting first responders to administer Narcan before taking Hileman into custody. Hileman remains in custody in Pennsylvania awaiting extradition to Ohio to face charges.
In a press release, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost commented, “[i]n true predator form, this would-be john recklessly endangered lives in an attempt to evade capture.” Yost additionally stated, “[k]udos to our task force agents and partners in Pennsylvania for protecting the public and blocking his escape.”
The Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force was established in 2016 in collaboration with the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission. The task force was formed to address the human trafficking activities in Mahoning Valley and nearby areas within the county. According to the task force’s website, their strategy “involves using multi-disciplinary and multi-agency teams to investigate and prosecute crimes that cross legal, geographical, and jurisdictional boundaries.” Since its creation, the task force has conducted numerous stings to target the demand behind human trafficking. One particular operation conducted in October of 2023 was a coordinated statewide effort and led to the arrest of 160 sex buyers.
Buying sex and sexual exploitation are interconnected, therefore, law enforcement must employ their resources to target sex buyers, rather than those being exploited in prostitution. Sex trafficking is a market-driven criminal industry that is based on supply and demand. Buyers of commercial sex increase the demand for commercial sex and provide an economic incentive for traffickers, who seek to gain profits by exploiting trafficking victims.
Under the Victims Of Trafficking And Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), the term “severe forms of trafficking in persons” includes sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age. The exclusion of the requirement of “force, fraud, or coercion” to establish that a person under 18 is a victim of trafficking – or rather, the presumption of coercion – coincides with the principle that a child cannot legally consent to being bought or sold for sex and makes it clear that under federal law, any child involved in a commercial sex act is a victim of child abuse.
The CSE Institute commends the efforts of the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, AG Dave Yost, and Ohio and Pennsylvania law enforcement officers on their work to target sex buyers and support survivors of sexual exploitation. Further, the CSE Institute applauds the efforts of Ohio law enforcement agencies for their role in combating human trafficking. AG Yost has made his message clear: “Don’t buy sex in Ohio!” This message must extend to all states and is of vital importance in the fight against human trafficking.
The CSE Institute will continue to provide updates on this matter.
All views expressed herein are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law or of Villanova University.