LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — Two Pennsylvania men were handed significant prison sentences last week for attempting to engage in sexual activities with minors, only to be apprehended by the Lancaster County Human Trafficking Task Force. The sentences, delivered on May 27, 2025, underscored the county’s firm stance against child predation, as emphasized by District Attorney Heather Adams.
In the first case, Bradley Andrew Buchanan, 40, of Birdsboro, Berks County, was sentenced by Judge Thomas Sponaugle to 28 to 57 years in state prison. A jury convicted Buchanan in October 2023 on multiple charges, including criminal attempt of statutory sexual assault, criminal solicitation, unlawful contact with a minor, patronizing a victim of human trafficking, and indecent assault of a person under 16. The charges stemmed from an incident in August 2022, when Buchanan responded to an online advertisement and agreed to pay for a half-hour sexual encounter with a 12-year-old girl at a Salisbury Township hotel. Upon arrival, he was arrested by task force officers.
Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick, who prosecuted the case, described Buchanan as a “danger to children in this community,” citing a prior conviction for sexual contact with a 15-year-old. Haverstick urged a severe sentence, warning that Buchanan would likely reoffend if released. Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Amos Glick filed the charges.
In a separate but similar case, Leandro J. Alfaro, 33, of Lancaster city, received a sentence of four and a half to 14 years from Judge Margaret Miller after pleading guilty to criminal attempt of patronizing a victim of human trafficking, statutory sexual assault, and criminal use of a communication facility. Alfaro’s arrest followed his response to an online ad in July 2024, where he agreed to pay for sex with a 14-year-old girl at a Warwick Township hotel. Task force officers arrested him upon arrival after he confirmed his intent to pay for the encounter.
During sentencing, Judge Miller told Alfaro his “poor decision” could have caused “grievous injury and trauma” to a child. Speaking through an interpreter, Alfaro attributed his actions to being “drugged up” and apologized to his wife and daughters. Miller ordered the forfeiture of the money Alfaro brought for the encounter.
“These convictions are proof that preying on children and soliciting sex will not be tolerated in Lancaster County,” District Attorney Adams said, commending the Human Trafficking Task Force for their diligent efforts. Although sentenced on the same day, the cases were unrelated, with each defendant targeted through proactive sting operations by the task force.
