East Bridgewater Police make arrest on multiple charges concerning human trafficking minors

Chief Paul O’Brien reports that the East Bridgewater Police Department arrested and charged a man on multiple human trafficking charges Wednesday evening.

On Tuesday, December 14, Detective Cecelia Cacciatore initiated an investigation involving a minor receiving inappropriate messages on social media.

Through her investigation, Detective Cacciatore discovered that a man, later identified as 26-year-old Nicholas Cristoforo, of Wellesley, had communicated with two juveniles from East Bridgewater and extorted sexually explicit material from them through threats as well as promises of money and drugs.

Detective Cacciatore, using an undercover account, posed as a juvenile and engaged with Cristoforo on social media posing as a friend of one of the juveniles. A meeting was coordinated at a predetermined location, with Cristoforo agreeing to provide marijuana in exchange for sex.

On Wednesday, East Bridgewater Police officers in unmarked vehicles were parked in the area prior to Cristoforo’s arrival. Cristoforo alerted Detective Cacciatore when he arrived, and he was then approached by police. He was removed from his vehicle and placed under arrest, with the assistance of the W.E.B. Major Crimes and Drug Task Force, after it was confirmed that his phone had been receiving the messages sent to arrange the meeting.

Cristoforo was charged with Electronic Enticement of Child for Human Trafficking (Three Counts), Trafficking of Person Under 18 for Sexual Servitude (Three Counts), Distribution of Material of a Child in Nude, and Posing/Exhibiting a Child in Sexual Act.

Cristoforo was arraigned Thursday in Brockton District Court. His bail was revoked on an open case, and he is being held for up to 90 days on this case with bail set at $30,000. If released, he will be required to wear a GPS tracker and not enter the Town of East Bridgewater and have no contact with anyone under the age of 18.

The W.E.B. Task Force is a collaborative effort of five agencies along with a partnership with the Plymouth County Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit, proactively investigating narcotics crimes and other major crimes in the community. Agencies include the Whitman, West Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, Bridgewater and Bridgewater State University Police Departments.

Detective Cacciatore is also a member of the Plymouth County Human Trafficking Task Force.