OTTAWA — A 20-year-old Ottawa woman and a 29-year-old Rantoul man were being held in the Franklin County jail in connection with prostitution involving a teenager older than 16. Ashley Ann Jones and Joshua Spratt were booked in connection with a new state law aimed at human sex trafficking. The circumstances of the case, which involved the trading of sex for money, fit the criteria of the new law, said Ottawa police Capt. Adam Weingartner. “The investigation led to an audit female who was exploiting a female under the age of 18 for the purposes of commercial sex,” he said. The investigation continues to see if additional people or victims are involved, he said. “At this point, we believe it to be an isolated incident rather than part of a larger prostitution ring.”
Wednesday, May 28, 3 p.m.
