First published on January 20, 2023 / 10:14 PM. FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) Federal authorities announced a major crackdown on prostitution that reveals sex trafficking in North Texas remains an ongoing problem. Please enter valid email address to continue. Should the Killeen City Council agree to pay an architect $108,000 to design a new City Hall, which may go before voters in the fall? Many prostitutes are themselves victims of human trafficking, Cruz said. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. So both forensically, reactively and proactively, we go after these individuals who are exploiting our children," said Detective Jeff Rich, with the Plano Police Department. Example video title will go here for this video. "Electronic service providers, the services you might use on cell phones or your computers, detect contraband material on their servers and they report that to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who then forward that information to the affected law enforcement agencies," explained Rich. HOUSTON Six men were arrested and charged after a sex sting operation last week in Harris County, the Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office announced Tuesday. The warrants allege that Jones and the ranch hands rounded up stray livestock in Loving and Pecos counties and sold them at auctions in Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico without first notifying the Sheriffs Office to find their rightful owners a violation of a state law. There are resources for Bell County residents who have knowledge of human trafficking or are in need themselves. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. The men allegedly arranged online to meet at the hotels where they intended to pay for sex, authorities said. Nobody's safe? Jones sold the cattle at auction in New Mexico and sent the money to a boys ranch in Amarillo, according to the warrants. They were afraid the bull would get in with their cattle, Jones replied. None of the defendants have been indicted by a grand jury, which is the next step in the legal process. North Texas Porch Thieves Becoming Bolder, Fort Worth Reviews Violent Crime Response Initiative. But theres a lot of demand in the suburbs.. ', Greek transport minister resigns over train crash; 36 dead, Lineup announced for this years Capitol Hill Block Party, There's no shortage of salt for NYC roads, Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey reveals she still cries watching the hit movie: 'Feels like I'm living it', Temple University students march and protest to demand better safety. Additionally, one of them received a charge of resisting arrest, but Bell County did not identify which. Among the 46 men included a high school football coach, a youth pastor and a director of operations at a hospital. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. A week later, a Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association market inspector told Baker the cows had turned up at the Big Spring Livestock Auction in Big Spring, Texas, about two-and-a-half hours away. Possession of Child Pornography Possession of Lewd Visual Material Texas DPS, Michael W. Newhouse, Sr. North Texas is under storm risk levels 2, 3 and 4. NBC 5 has also learned the arrested individuals include paramedics, firefighters, a teacher and a nurse and that some of the victims targeted young children, including infants. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. If youre a special ranger and youre really interested in stopping rustling, you dont sneak out in the middle of the night and unload a bunch of cattle that you secretly microchipped, Simonsen said. or redistributed. The men arrested also included a high school football coach and a director of operations at a hospital. "Those who traffic victims are the scourge of the earth, and we will continue to target those responsible for the trafficking and those who solicit sex from them.". 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. Baker recently was appointed police chief in Coleman, Texas his hometown and left his job as a special ranger, though Fuchs said Baker will still see this case through. Latest timing, chances, Gallery: Photos of 2021 I-35W pileup released with NTSB report, Longhorn Ballroom, famed Dallas dancehall, reopening in spring 2023 after renovations, Man arrested in connection to shooting death of 16-year-old girl found in Oak Cliff creek, police say. Some of the conversation seemed strange at the time, Baker noted. What is the biggest issue affecting Killeen? Jones climbed atop the tank battery in December, trying to spot him. Read Across America Week at Hay Branch Elementary, Local sorority to host youth symposium in Killeen, Increasing Chance for Severe Storms Thursday | Central Texas Forecast, 3 skyscraper-sized asteroids making approach to Earth this week, Twelve arrested in Waco prostitution sting, Waco Police believe sexual assault suspect has other victims. Busse, the sheriff, denied that to Baker. It's the biggest roundup from a prostitution sting operation in recent memory and shows it's a crime that's not just happening in urban areas. / CBS Texas. The operation led to the arrest of these 23 individuals for Solicitation of Prostitution: Dallas police said it also seized three firearms and more than $6,000 in cash. Sarah Bahari, Staff writer. "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. Residents can contact Aware Central Texas at 254-813-0968 locally or can report nationally by calling the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or by texting "Help" to 233733. Texas father sings 'worship song' to premature son who was given 21% survival rate, in a massive undercover prostitution sting in Texas, resigned after his arrest for solicitation of a prostitute, Fort Worth youth pastor Lamarcus Strickland, the Department of Homeland Securitys Blue Campaign. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, in Jan. 2022, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) conducted multiple Adult Prostitution Operations and Online Solicitation of Minor Operations throughout the West Texas Region. The safety of alleged johns is also a concern for law enforcement. FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) Federal authorities announced a major crackdown on prostitution that reveals sex trafficking in North Texas remains an ongoing They may be geared to catching online predators using sites like BackPage.com, drug dealers or johns using DALLAS Forty-six people have been arrested in connection with a commercial sex sting across North Texas, including a volunteer firefighter, youth pastor, Texas law enforcement worked to uncover a huge prostitute sting of 46 community men. When ranch hand Cody Williams pulled up at the barn hauling the bull, Baker was waiting. person will not be tolerated. The names of the suspects were not released by federal authorities. I positively identified the pair as being the same reddish-brown cow and calf I had released in Loving County, he wrote. On Thursday, the Collin County Sheriff's Office announced its successful sting operation that took place from March 22 through March 24. Baker wrote in the warrants that he had spoken briefly with the judge, whose late father, Elgin Punk Jones served as the sheriff for 28 years. Jones called up Alan Sparks, 64, the Wheat Ranch foreman, and asked for permission to try to catch the black bull. Federal authorities arrested 46 men in two days after its investigation of sex trafficking cases in North Texas. In addition to the trafficking task force, agencies that took part in this months operation included the Arlington, Colleyville, Dallas, Flower Mound, Frisco, Irving and Midlothian police departments; the Collin, Dallas and Tarrant county sheriffs departments; and the Dallas County district attorneys office. I wasn't a BeyHive member. Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. Are you in favor of allowing Killeen residents to have backyard chickens, as outlined in a proposed ordinance? BELTON, Texas ( FOX 44) A prostitution sting in Bell County has resulted in ten arrests. On Wednesday and Thursday, digital ads were posted to known websites promoting prostitution. Weeks passed. Chief Deputy TJ Cruz explained that operations like these are meant to protect public safety and prevent human trafficking. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, co-wrote legislation with Democratic Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar to reauthorize the Abolish Human Trafficking Act, which provides tens of millions of dollars to law enforcement and social-service agencies to combat sexual exploitation. According to federal officials in the Dallas branch of Homeland Security Investigations, one of the 46 men was Fort Worth pastor Lamarcus Strickland. Theres no question about that, said Steve Simonsen, who is the Loving County attorney and married to a cousin of Jones. Last year, a 15-year-old girl disappeared from a Dallas Mavericks game at American Airlines Center and was found a few days later in Oklahoma City; three people were arrested on charges of human trafficking. The operation wrapped up Friday with the rescue of 28 children and the arrest of 59 people who are now facing at least 80 criminal charges. Right? Bakers conversation with the judge turned to the black bull. Officers responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to ads placed as part of the sting over two days. John Perez with Homeland Security Investigations oversaw an operation involving undercover officers placing ads that blended in with countless others found online. The Dallas Police Department's Special Investigation Division ran an operation targeting online sex trafficking in the city of Dallas and Collin County. 11:30 AM on Jan 23, 2023 CST Updated at 11:54 AM on Jan 23, 2023 CST. HOUSTON The day Texass new law regarding solicitation of prostitution went into effect, Houston police ran a sting operation in an area known as the Bissonnet Track.. 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 National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Robertson is with POETIC, a Dallas based organization that helps women and girls who are victims of sex trafficking. The accused listed below are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Police arrested 23 people after an investigation at short She explained that the progression of people looking at illicit mages and videos can lead to action and put even more children in harm's way and also lead to sex trafficking. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. or anything. racist or sexually-oriented language. These were among the 46 men arrested in a massive When police have a strong suspicion that an individual has a predisposition to commit a crime, they may set up a sting operation to A man was arrested in an international sting operation targeting drug smugglers. The investigation involved nearly three dozen law enforcement agencies from across North Texas and from as far away as Alaska. All rights reserved. Soliciting prostitution used to be a slap on the wrist misdemeanor charge. Bell County residents, who suspect or have knowledge of human trafficking or are in need of assistance themselves, can reach out locally to Aware Central Texas at 254-813-0968, or can nationally report by calling the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or by texting "Help" to 233733 (BEFREE). By Kevin Krause 6:07 PM on May 24, 2021 CDT The backstory of what led to the arrests of Jones, a former sheriffs deputy and two ranch hands in May is chronicled in a stack of warrants obtained by NBC News. You can reach her on Twitter at @rumpfsarahc, Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. And then the ripple effect of that is we'll catch people that are making these types of offenses. In the past, we have heard public criticism to operations like this that amounted to this is just sex between consenting adults, Chief Deputy T.J. Cruz said in the release, but thats far from the truth.. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Roughly a dozen law enforcement agencies participated in the 2-day operation on Jan. 12 and 13 at the Hilton at Southlake Town Square and the Hyatt Regency near Stonebriar Centre in Frisco, Texas. The Sheriff's Department said they are concerned about possible links between prostitution and human trafficking. "By targeting those involved in this crime, we hope to disrupt this activity and provide assistance to human trafficking victims by getting them connected to the advocates and resources they need," said Hayes. Hohman said it's important for people to be educated on the topic to protect themselves and their children. Roughly a dozen law enforcement agencies participated in the operation Jan. 12 and 13 at the Hyatt near Stonebriar Centre in Frisco and the Hilton at Southlake Town Square. Rich said many of the arrests were the result of leads generated through reporting to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. All rights reserved, Following a Delivery Truck? Officers responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to ads placed as part of the sting over two days. Also arrested were Christopher Bell, 44, of Temple; Steven Gwynn, 59, of Eddy; Danny Reed, 36, of Georgetown; and Clifford Visel, 77, of Round Rock. We'd love to hear eyewitness The arrests were the result of a join human trafficking operation between multiple local law enforcement agencies. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. 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. Baker, who declined to be interviewed, arrived to find Jones and his ranch hands loading the dead cattle onto a trailer to take them back to the P&M Jones Family Ranch. One was also charged with resisting arrest. 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, 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. Ten people were arrested, The Department reported that six people were arrested on the first day of the operation, and four were arrested on the second day. 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