BELLEVUE, WI (WTAQ) – We’re learning more about the three suspects jailed in Brown County following their arrest as part of a nationwide crackdown on child sex trafficking.
55-year-old Phillip M. Lablanc, 57-year-old Frank M. Woyak and 38-year-old Ryan J. Fish were arrested last week in connection to alleged crimes against juveniles, court records show.
Lablanc and Woyak were jailed October 13, then released on bond the next day. Fish, meanwhile, remains behind bars on a $20,000 bond.
Each criminal complaint shows how the three men got caught in the net of this 3-day law enforcement operation.
On October 13, Lablanc allegedly began chatting with an undercover officer through an ad on Backpage.com. The complaint states that he was looking to, “hook up for one hour”. An officer replies by saying that while they were, “not available but my 16-year-old little sister was.”
During the conversation, the undercover officer maintained that Lablanc was seeking a get together with a 16-year-old girl. He said he, “didn’t have a problem with that.”
Lablanc allegedly agreed to meet this juvenile at an apartment complex in Bellevue. He told the girl what make and color of car he would be driving. Police set up waiting for Lablanc to arrive, then moved in and arrested.
In an interview with investigators, Lablanc claimed that it was, “only a fantasy and that he would not have done anything.” He also said that, “he just retired and that his party is Saturday.”
Lablanc is charged with trafficking of a child and child enticement-prostitution.
Woyak, per his complaint, contacted an undercover officer on October 13 looking for a “GFE”, which is known as a “girlfriend experience”. Investigators say this is where a suspect, “pays for sexual services but wants a more emotional connection, like a meal or kissing, versus just sex.”
The undercover officer allegedly replies that while she’s not available, “my little sister was.” Woyak allegedly, “used exclamation points in his message and it appeared he was excited to meet me.”
Woyak then arranged a meeting place, where he was subsequently arrested by police. During an interview with investigators, Woyak admitted, “I know what I did wrong.” He then claimed, per the complaint, he wasn’t going to do anything sexual with the younger girl.
Later, Woyak said he had seen a prostitute in the past, “typically gets one about once a week.” He told investigators that he finds them locally and in Milwaukee. Woyak then said that he did want a “girlfriend experience” like kissing. But when pressed if that was all he wanted, Woyak replied, “No, no, sex too.”
Woyak is also charged with trafficking a child and child enticement-prostitution.
Between October 13 and 14, Ryan Fish allegedly contacted whom he though was an under-18 male through the social networking application “Grindr”.
The complaint states that Fish and the undercover office exchanged numerous messages through the app, including statements that the suspect was chatting with a soon-to-be 16-year-old.
After agreeing to meet in person for a sexual encounter, Fish drove to a Bellevue gas station. Following confirmation that Fish was there, police moved in and arrested him.
During a search of Fish, police allegedly find a package containing a “male enhancement pill”, and his phone which was active at the time in the Grindr app. An inventory search of Fish’s vehicle revealed a large backpack.
Investigators checking the backpack found mail addressed to him, numerous condoms, and 2 tubes of personal lubricant, clothing and a plastic first aid container. Inside that container was a mini Ziploc bag with a white chunky crystal-like substance which later tested positive for Methamphetamine.
Fish is charged with use of a computer to facilitate a child sex crime, child enticement and possession of methamphetamine.
In all, 15 arrests were made during the 3-day joint operation in Brown County as part of the national Operation Cross Country X.
Two others were taken into custody for warrants unrelated charges and have been cited for municipal ordinance violations, prostitution and pandering a prostitute. The remaining 10 were cited and released with municipal ordinances violations and for pandering a prostitute.
