On September 8, Stephen Melton entered a plea on charges connected to a human trafficking investigation in Cumberland County, pleading “nolo contendere” to trafficking in individuals and guilty to patronizing prostitutes. Melton, a 66-year-old former pastor at Big Spring Presbyterian Church in Newville, purchased sex from women working at GL Massage. GL Massage has been identified as part of the county’s broader “Closed2Trafficking” operation.
As we previously reported, the “Closed2Trafficking” investigation exposed a network of illicit massage parlors operating in Cumberland County as fronts for labor and sex trafficking. Melton’s arrest is one of several resulting from the investigation. Melton reportedly began visiting the business in April 2023 and returned 70 times over a five-month period. Melton admitted he selected GL Massage largely because it was located along his commute home from church.
Even after recognizing signs that the women at the business may have been victims of human trafficking, Melton continued soliciting sexual services. He also bought the women gifts such as flowers, food, and clothing during his visits, and admitted he repeatedly visited one woman over the course of the year. In addition, Melton admitted to paying for sex so frequently that he could not recall the total number of encounters he had as GL Massage.
Melton is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2025.
Melton’s case highlights how trafficking is sustained by the choices of sex buyers. Trafficking, like any other market, thrives where there is demand. Individuals like Melton, who repeatedly purchase sex even when confronted with signs of exploitation, fuel that demand directly. Human trafficking, particularly in illicit massage businesses, is not a crime that exists in isolation. Illicit massage businesses are deeply embedded in broader networks of exploitation, often relying on criminal practices like money laundering to operate.
Illicit massage businesses are often structured to obscure the presence of trafficking. On the surface, they may appear as a legitimate business, offering services that seem routine. But behind closed doors, many operate as hubs of commercial sexual exploitation, using manipulation and control to keep vulnerable victims compliant. For sex buyers, this plausible deniability provides cover; a facade to hide behind. It allows sex buyers to rationalize their choices, ignore red flags, and continue fueling an industry built on exploitation.
When sex buyers like Melton recognize indicators of trafficking but proceed anyway, their actions no longer stem from ignorance, but from disregard.
Holding traffickers accountable is essential, but dismantling the commercial sex trade requires confronting the demand side of the equation. Sex buyers are not passive participants; they are active contributors to a system that profits from human suffering. Until that demand is addressed, trafficking will persist. Ending sexual exploitation requires holding buyers accountable. Adoption of the Equality Model, which advocates for this exact approach and is supported by the CSE Institute, is an integral step in combatting commercial sexual exploitation.
The CSE Institute commends the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office, the Cumberland County Trafficking Task Force, and local law enforcement for their efforts to expose and dismantle trafficking networks operating under the guise of legitimate businesses. In particular, the CSE Institute applauds the decision by prosecutors to utilize Pennsylvania’s statute, 18 Pa.C.S. § 5902, which criminalizes the purchase of sex. Bringing charges under this provision is a critical step toward holding sex buyers accountable and acknowledging the harm their choices cause.
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.