Human trafficking suspects arrested in Eau Claire County

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - The Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that two human trafficking suspects have been arrested in the county.

Law enforcement say at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning, a citizen reported a woman walking on County Road H between Fairchild and Stanley. When deputies arrived to the area, they found Catherine Ottinger lying in the ditch. She told them she and Scoville had been living in a tent on property near County Road H in Chippewa County.

Both Scoville and Ottinger are currently being held at the Eau Claire County Jail.

Officials say in March, Scoville was charged with 32 separate offenses following a long-term investigation in the Village of Fairchild. The charges included human trafficking, false imprisonment, sexual assault and more. The sheriff’s office says Ottinger was also charged.