LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A Lancaster County man could spend up to five years in jail for attempting to have sex with a 14-year-old, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
Benjamin Gill, 24, from East Lampeter Township, pled guilty to counts of patronizing a victim of human trafficking (criminal attempt), statutory sexual assault-8 to 11 years older (criminal attempt), corruption of minors, criminal use of a communication facility and indecent assault of a person less than 16 (criminal attempt).
He was sentenced to 16 months to five years in prison. Gill was also sentenced to five years of probation following his prison term and must register as a sex offender with the Pennsylvania State Police for 25 years.
The Human Trafficking Task Force conducted an undercover detail in April 2023 focused on the solicitation of minors for online sex. Gill responded to an online advertisement and began communicating with an undercover HTTF detective posing as a family member of a 14-year-old girl, whom Gill agreed to pay $300 to have sex with for an hour.
Gill had $305 and the phone used to commit the crime when he was arrested at the agreed-upon meet-up location.
