Four men accused of solicitation in Blackstone

BLACKSTONE – The town’s police department announced the arrest of four men as a result of an investigation into illicit sexual encounters that were set up on social media.

Charged with one count each of engaging in sexual conduct for a fee were John Flanagan, 60, of Cumberland; Timothy McLaughlin, 55, of Blackstone; and Joseph Vieira, 65, of Seekonk. A fourth suspect was also arrested for the same offense, but the charge was dismissed on Dec. 31 by an Uxbridge District Court judge during the suspect’s arraignment, according to Chief Greg Gilmore.

The other suspects were all arraigned on Dec. 30 and have been released on personal recognizance pending further action in court.

“This investigation should send a strong message to individuals soliciting prostitution in our community that not only will it not be tolerated, but our department will proactively arrest those participating in these crimes,” the chief said. “When these types of activities occur in our neighborhoods, it has an effect on the safety, well-being and quality of life of everyone in those neighborhoods.”

The arrests were the result of “excellent investigative work” carried out by members of the police department in partnership with the Blackstone Valley Drug and Counter Crimes Task Force, an arm of the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, Gilmore said.

He said the arrests grew out of an earlier investigation into prostitution.

All of the suspects in the case used social media to set up a meeting for live sex at a location they thought was a residence in town, according to police. But there was no residence and the individual the suspects thought they were communicating with

online wasn’t a prostitute, but the police.

Police did not identify the website the suspects were using, except that it wasn’t

Facebook or any of the other mainstream social media platforms. Gilmore said it was a site wholly dedicated to advertising sexual services in exchange for money.

State law says engaging in sexual conduct for a fee carries a penalty of up to 30 months in prison and fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. The applicable statute says “whoever pays, agrees to pay or offers to pay another person to engage in sexual conduct” is guilty of the crime “whether such sexual conduct occurs or not.”