Federal authorities arrested 46 men in two days after its investigation of sex trafficking cases in North Texas. "We have no indication the circumstances of his arrest involved students," Brim said. More than two dozen children have been rescued and nearly 60 people are facing criminal charges related to online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, police say. Weeks passed. This is the second extensive commercial sex sting operation involving North Texas suburbs in recent months. The names of the suspects were not released by federal authorities. Possession of Child Pornography Texas DPS, Michael Sinnreich, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD, Ernest Martinez, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD, Isaac Hernandez, Possession of Child Pornography Irving PD, Marcus Lugo, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD, Juan Juarez, Promotion of Child Pornography Wylie PD, Jesse McFall, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD/Denton PD, Eduardo Ramirez, Receiving/Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Jesse Giesbrecht, Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography Seminole County Sheriffs Office/FBI, Ubaydah Fadel, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Ivan Hernandez, Sexual Assault of a Child Dallas PD, Ralph Brooks Brown, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Anthony Johnson, Possession with Intent to Promote with Prior Conviction Dallas PD, Nathan Abramovich, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD, JUVENILE, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD, Corey Smith Shaw, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Nathanel Black, Possession of Child Pornography Irving PD, Steve Martin, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Tracey Couey, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Ramiro Mendoza, Lara Possession of Child Pornography Irving PD, Charles Stanfiel, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD, Edward Rodriquez, Online Solicitation of a Minor Abilene PD, JUVENILE, Possession of Child Pornography with Intent to Promote Wylie PD, Shemar Green, Possession of Child Pornography and Transportation of Child Pornography FBI-Lubbock/Snyder PD, Cassidy Lush, Distribution of Child Pornography FBI Lubbock, David Espinoza, Possession of Child Pornography FBI Lubbock, Jonathan Paige, Kidnapping/Sex Assault of a Child Plano PD, Christopher Berger, Promotion of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Justin Wyly, Possession of Child Pornography Hopkins County SO, James Wilborn, Indecency with a Child Dallas PD, Thomas Dobbs, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD, Craig Schamberger, Online Solicitation Fort Worth PD, Jason Till, Production of Child Pornography Homeland Security Investigations, Pipino Alfredo Castelan Diaz, Solicitation of Prostitution o fa Minor, Irving Woods, Online Solicitation Fort Worth PD/Alaska State Troopers/US Secret Service, Demon Driver, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Joseph Sterle, Possession of Child Pornography DPS-Texarkana, Stephen Benzenhafer, Online Solicitation of a Minor Plano PD, Silvestre Diaz, Indecent Assault Wylie PD, Juan Blaylock, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Maximillian Arya, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Juvenile, Publish Intimate Visual Material Wylie PD, Gary Mathis, Promotion of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Anthony Garza, Misdemeanor Charge Lubbock PD, Haseeb Memon, Possession with Intent to Promote Child Pornography Wylie PD, Rit Tran, Distribution of Child Pornography, FBI Dallas, Javier Montano, Sex Abuse of a Child, Fort Worth PD. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. What is a police sting operation? Many prostitutes are themselves victims of human trafficking, Cruz said. ", Another concern is for those soliciting, who have often become the victims of other crimes. A Harris County, Texas, precinct chief was among more than a dozen arrested Wednesday evening in an undercover prostitution sting operation, authorities said. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Market data provided by Factset. According to LPD, the sting was conducted on February 9 in the 5800 block of 6th Street. Awareness of sexual trafficking and exploitation have grown immensely in recent years, heightened by a handful of high-profile cases. "The victims of these heinous crimes are treated like commodities, used to make as much money as possible, as quickly as possible," Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn told Fox 4. Our effort is to deter all people from seeking out this criminal behavior, and, therefore, making our County safer for everyone.. The men face charges of solicitation of prostitution, a felony in Texas punishable with up two years in prison and a $10,000 fine, When you think of trafficking, you think of streets in Dallas or Fort Worth or strip clubs, said Agent John Perez, who oversees the North Texas Trafficking Task Force, part of Homeland Security Investigations. Teachers, firemen, nurses, and so that's extremely concerning in this particular operation. Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. "I want to thank the investigators who participated in this operation for their hard work and dedication to bring this group of sexual predators to justice," said Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner. He later learned that ranch hand Cody Williams, 31, caught the cow, according to the warrants. Advocates who help women and children survivors of sex trafficking said the arrests shed light on a bigger problem. At Least 36 Dead After Trains Collide Head-on in Greece: Indescribable Tragedy', LIVE RADAR: Severe T-Storm Watch Until Noon, Powerful Storms Forecast for Thursday, The Pandemic Altered Many Things, Including Alcohol AbuseThese Are the Warning Signs, Mickail Dukes, Manifestation of Prostitution Dallas PD, Brandon Froning, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Justin Peters, Possession of Child Pornography Garland PD, Noah Craver, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Vincent Hammack, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Joshua Drake, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD, Michael A. Newhouse, Jr. The Central Texas sting operation from August 1 to August 4 involved Bell County investigators posing online as a juvenile under 17 years old. Our effort is to deter all people from seeking out this criminal behavior, and, therefore, making our County safer for everyone.. This is one of many operations the Collin County Sheriffs have conducted. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Often commercial sex workers are the victims of sex trafficking because they are either underage or were forced into the role, Dallas branch of Homeland Security Investigations special agent Lester Hayes explained to Fox 4. The Dallas Police Department's Special Investigation Division ran an operation targeting online sex trafficking in the city of Dallas and Collin County. Authorities in Texas have arrested nearly 50 people, including one high school teacher and a youth pastor, as part of a sting operation aimed at combatting sex trafficking. "We had a volunteer firefighter, a director of operations of one of the large medical systems here in the metroplex, we also had a semi pro hockey player who plays on the Allen team as well.". On Thursday, the Collin County Sheriff's Office announced its successful sting operation that took place from March 22 through March 24. North Texas Porch Thieves Becoming Bolder, Fort Worth Reviews Violent Crime Response Initiative. Daniel Johnson, a resident of Texas, sang "Hallelujah Here Below" by Elevation Worship to his premature son, Remington Hayze Johnson. WebThe suicide of Bill Conradt was the November 2006 death of a local assistant district attorney in the DallasFort Worth metroplex after Texas police served him with search and arrest warrants stemming from a Dateline NBC Perverted-Justice online sting of men soliciting sex with children.. Perverted-Justice (PJ) and Dateline conducted their sting, Dallas police officer fired, another suspended over separate incidents, officials say, Thunderstorms roll through North Texas. Be Nice. The Bell County Sheriffs Department, with its partners the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, th Jones, the scion of a prominent ranching family and the top elected official in this sparsely populated West Texas county for the past 15 years, is charged with three felony counts of livestock theft and one count of engaging in organized crime potentially facing decades in prison if convicted. BELL COUNTY, Texas - 10 people ranging in age from 23 to 77 from all over Central Texas were arrested following a prostitution sting in Bell County. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Jones and his family members through blood or marriage have a tight grip on the local government, serving as judge, clerk, county attorney and constable. In May, they all were booked into Winkler County Jail and released later the same day on bond. Known as "Operation Home Alone", law enforcement officials used the undercover operation to target suspects believed to have been preying on young adolescents online. And the bull was eating his grass, he added. What Jones most likely didnt realize from his steel perch as he scanned the horizon: He, too, was being watched as part of a cattle-rustling sting operation devised by special rangers with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. Although the names of the 46 suspects have not been released, the Lewisville Independent School District confirmed Marcus High School teacher and football coach Cecil Tim Morrison was among them. Additionally, one of the men received a charge of resisting arrest. The Bell County Sheriffs Department, with its partners the Bell County Officers said they received over 700 communications from 73 different people over the course of the two days. During this weeks operation, one of the defendants negotiated a price but arrived with no money. They can be subjected to physical and sexual assault, robbery and even murder.. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) conducts minor sting operations as part of its enforcement of these laws, and the TABC is very transparent about the manner in which they conduct these operations. Threats of harming another Among the 46 men included a high school football coach, a youth pastor and a director of operations at a hospital. The men arrested also included a high school football coach and a director of operations at a hospital. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Amanda Brim, Lewisville ISDs Chief Communications Officer, said Monday that Morrison was placed on administrative leave when the district was made aware of his arrest, and last week, he submitted his resignation. Ten Central Texas men ranging in age from 23 to 77 are charged with state jail felonies 10 men were arrested Wednesday and Thursday in a sting operation in Belton. Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. In a previous sting, we arrested an individual with body bags, duct tape and bleach in his trunk, Cruz said. Williams arrived with Jones, who asked to talk to Baker. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Officers responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to ads placed as part of the sting over two days. Skeet Jones mentioned that he and his ranch hands catch stray cattle and sell them and donate the money to boys ranches in Texas. BELL COUNTY, Texas Ten "would-be johns" have been arrested in a joint prostitution sting in Bell County, according Another concern is for potential solicitors or johns themselves, who have often become the victims of other crimes. During this weeks operation, one of the defendants negotiated a price but arrived with no money. 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The operation was carried out by about 15 officers from the Texas City crime suppression unit, the U.S. But earlier this month, federal authorities showed that sex trafficking is happening in the shadows of Southlake's Town Square and Frisco's Stonebriar Mall. What's next? DALLAS Twenty-three people have been arrested in relation to an online sex trafficking scheme, Dallas police told WFAA on Thursday. What is the biggest issue affecting Killeen? But Jones supporters say he was set up. About two weeks later, Baker asked Williams to come to the sheriffs office for an interview. She welcomes the enforcement and glad to see authorities focusing it on those who are often forced to sell their bodies. 10 men were arrested Wednesday and Thursday in a sting operation in Belton. The men had arranged online to meet at the hotels intending to pay for sex, authorities said. 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