Federal complaint does not charge human trafficking, but advocates say the allegations illustrate grooming tactics and vulnerabilities that can precede exploitation.

By George D. Rotsch, Editor of Delaware LIVE

DOVER, Del. — Federal charges against a Dover Air Force Base airman accused of using Snapchat to communicate with a 15-year-old girl before transporting her from Pennsylvania to Delaware are drawing renewed attention to online grooming, child exploitation and the warning signs of human trafficking.

Dylan Williams, 27, is charged with coercion and enticement, transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, according to a federal criminal complaint filed Aug. 28 in U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware.

Investigators allege Williams began communicating with the teenager through Snapchat in June, knew she was 15 and later drove from Delaware to Pennsylvania to pick her up. Authorities found the girl at Williams’ Camden-area residence Aug. 20 after her parents reported her missing, according to the complaint.

The FBI alleges Williams admitted picking up the girl and bringing her to Delaware. Court records also describe alleged sexual encounters in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Williams is an active-duty airman stationed at Dover Air Force Base, according to the complaint. The Dover Police Department, FBI, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service and Pennsylvania authorities participated in the investigation.

The charges are accusations. Williams is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Grooming can begin online

While the Williams complaint does not allege a commercial exchange, advocates say cases involving online enticement can help parents and the public understand tactics that also appear in trafficking cases.

Those tactics can include gradually gaining a young person’s trust, introducing sexual conversations, encouraging secrecy, isolating the child from family members and convincing the child to leave a safe environment.

Trafficking does not always involve kidnapping, physical restraint or an organized criminal network. Exploiters may present themselves as romantic partners, protectors, employers or friends before using emotional dependency, threats, housing instability, substance use or financial pressure to gain control.

Young people experiencing family conflict, homelessness, prior abuse, social isolation or a lack of stable adult support can be particularly vulnerable. Social media, gaming platforms and messaging applications can give offenders direct and private access to young people.

A child may not recognize the relationship as abusive and may believe he or she willingly participated. Advocates say that makes it important for adults to look beyond whether a young person describes the relationship as consensual.

Delaware cases remain underreported

The full extent of trafficking in Delaware is difficult to measure because victims may fear retaliation, distrust authorities, depend on their trafficker or not recognize that they are being exploited.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 32 trafficking cases involving 61 victims in Delaware during 2024. The organization identified 31 cases in 2023, 28 in 2022, 30 in 2021 and 26 in 2020.

Those figures represent situations reported to and identified by the hotline. They are not a count of arrests or prosecutions and should not be treated as a complete measure of trafficking in Delaware, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Delaware’s location between Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, combined with its major highways, tourism industry and seasonal workforce, creates opportunities for both sex and labor exploitation. However, advocates caution against assuming trafficking is primarily caused by interstate highways or strangers moving victims from place to place.

Many cases originate within families, relationships, workplaces or online communications involving people the victim knows.

Summit aims to improve recognition

The Delaware Coalition for Human Trafficking Survivors will bring survivors, national experts, law enforcement officials, medical providers, mental health professionals and community leaders together for Delaware’s inaugural Human Trafficking Awareness, Prevention and Action Summit.

The public summit will be held Friday, Oct. 2, at Hyatt Place Dewey Beach. Registration remains open through Sept. 18.

The program is intended to explain what trafficking looks like in Delaware, challenge common misconceptions and help professionals and residents recognize potential exploitation without putting a victim in greater danger.

Sessions will focus on survivor experiences, law enforcement, mental health, direct services and medical care. Topics are expected to include familial trafficking, trauma affecting children and adults, substance use, multidisciplinary response teams and vulnerabilities affecting boys and members of the LGBTQ community.

Kevin McNeil, a retired police officer and survivor of trafficking and sexual abuse, will deliver the opening keynote address. Survivor, therapist, author and comedian Marty MacGibbon will discuss the intersection of trafficking and substance abuse and close the conference with a presentation on mental wellness, self-care and trauma-informed practices.

The summit is open not only to professionals but also to parents, educators, business owners, hospitality employees, faith leaders, volunteers and other residents who want to understand the warning signs.

The Delaware Coalition for Human Trafficking Survivors was established in 2014 as Meet Me at the Well Delaware. The organization provides individualized support to survivors seeking to leave sex trafficking and rebuild their lives, including mentoring, advocacy and connections to housing, employment and treatment.

To Go Box

• What: Human Trafficking Awareness, Prevention and Action Summit
• When: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026
• Where: Hyatt Place Dewey Beach, 1301 Coastal Highway, Dewey Beach
• Who may attend: Professionals, organizational leaders, service providers and members of the public
• Admission: $75
• Registration deadline: Friday, Sept. 18
• Registration: Human Trafficking Awareness, Prevention and Action Summit
• Information: Visit the Delaware Coalition for Human Trafficking Survivors, call 302-250-5918 or email [email protected]
• Report suspected trafficking: Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. Call 911 when someone is in immediate danger.

Delaware LIVE collaborates with a network of professional journalists to cover a diverse range of stories across various fields.  Staff Writers include experienced journalists and young professionals.  If you have questions, please feel free to contact [email protected] or our publisher, George D. Rotsch, at [email protected]