Concord Ledger

Two additional men have been charged in connection with an attempt to sex traffic a child at a Manchester hotel, according to U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. This development follows the arrest of three other individuals during a proactive law enforcement operation conducted on November 14 and 15, 2024.

The operation involved posting and monitoring an advertisement on a website known for commercial sex acts, which featured images appearing to be two minor females and included a contact number. Law enforcement agents used this setup to communicate with potential offenders. Each suspect responded to the advertisement and attempted to engage in sex trafficking upon meeting an undercover agent at the hotel.

The five defendants charged by criminal complaint with attempted sex trafficking of a minor are:

- Stacey Ray Lancaster, 46, from Hudson, New Hampshire, was arrested on November 14 and remains in federal custody. His court appearance is scheduled for today at 1:00 pm.

- Arthur Picanco, 42, from Bradford, Massachusetts, was also arrested on November 14 and is currently in federal custody. He will appear in court today at 3:00 pm.

- Ozeias Luiz Guilherme, 38, from Haverhill, Massachusetts, shares the same arrest date and status as Lancaster and Picanco. His court appearance is set for today at 2:30 pm.

- Sharath Chandra Bollu, 23, from Chelmsford, Massachusetts was arrested on November 15 and is in federal custody awaiting his court appearance later today.

- Koteshwara Raju Jonnagodda, 24, from Chelmsford/Lowell area of Massachusetts was similarly apprehended on November 15 and will also appear in court later today.

The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations with support from the Manchester Police Department among others. The prosecution team includes Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Vicinanzo, Kasey Weiland, Anna Krasinski and Georgiana MacDonald.

This case falls under Project Safe Childhood initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation since its inception in May 2006.

Questions regarding this matter can be directed to the U.S. Attorney’s Public Voicemail Line at 603-230-2563.

It is important to note that all details within charging documents are allegations; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.