CONCORD, NH – A former ROTC teacher at Manchester West High School was convicted of attempting to traffic a 12-year-old for sex after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court.
Stacey Lancaster, 46, of Hudson was convicted of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor. U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro ordered Lancaster detained pending sentencing, set for Aug. 18, 2025.
On Nov. 14 and 15, 2024, federal agents conducted an undercover operation posting and monitoring an advertisement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex. The advertisement contained images of what appeared to be two underage girls, and a contact phone number.
Lancaster was one of five men – the other four from Massachusetts — arrested in connection with the underage sex sting operation conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Agents monitored the phone line and used it to communicate with potential sex buyers, including Lancaster. During a text conversation between an undercover agent and Lancaster, the agent stated there was a 12-year-old girl available to perform sex acts in exchange for money.
According to court documents, Lancaster allegedly responded to the online ad for sex and had a text chat with the advertiser while he was at work at West High School.
Lori Robinson, Special Agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), wrote in her affidavit that on Nov. 14, 2024, law enforcement agents posted an advertisement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex acts.
It contained images of what appeared to be two young girls and said:
“Sweet & tight! Ready 2 have some fun!” “In town 4 a limited time only” “Cute & very petite girl that is tight from head to toe! Cum over to play with me!” “Text for donations. In call only – safe and discrete location.”
The ad contained a contact phone number monitored by law enforcement and used by an undercover agent to communicate with potential sex buyers, including Lancaster.
On the same day the ad was posted, a text message was received from a phone number ending in 7403. Thereafter, a text conversation began between the undercover agent and the caller, identified by officers as Lancaster. The undercover agent said they had two minor girls—ages 12 and 14 years old—available to perform sex acts in exchange for money. Lancaster agreed to pay $100 to have sex with the 12 year-old girl, according to Robinson’s affidavit.
There was no underage girl at the hotel when Lancaster arrived on the afternoon of Nov. 14, 2024, but there were law enforcement officers who arrested him.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. Manchester Police Department, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, and the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anna Krasinski and Matthew Vicinanzo prosecuted the case.