"I'm very happy to see those soliciting being prosecuted because if there's no demand there's no supply," said Chelsea Robertson. TheDallas Police Department (DPD) said its Special Investigation Division ran an operation targeting online sex trafficking in the city of Dallas and Collin County. 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MENTONE, Texas On a December day in 2021, Loving County Judge Skeet Jones, 71, climbed atop an oilfield tank surrounded by wide-open Texas desert dressed in a business suit and toting a pair of binoculars, hoping to spot an elusive black bull. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. Additionally, one of the men received a charge of resisting arrest. North Texas Porch Thieves Becoming Bolder, Fort Worth Reviews Violent Crime Response Initiative, 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. 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). 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. 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. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Dallas officials said the undercover operation coincides with the Department of Homeland Securitys Blue Campaign to highlight Human Trafficking Awareness Month. The operation coincided with the Department of Homeland Securitys Blue Campaign to highlight Human Trafficking Prevention Month, which is January. "We had a volunteer firefighter, a director of operations of one of the largest medical systems here in the metroplex. Under Texas law, grand jurors cannot be related by blood or marriage. Baker obtained a brownish-red cow and calf and a black bull and equipped them with microchips. All rights reserved, Following a Delivery Truck? None of the defendants have been indicted by a grand jury, which is the next step in the legal process. Skeet, hes not ours, Sparks recalled saying in an interview with NBC News. Jones sold the cattle at auction in New Mexico and sent the money to a boys ranch in Amarillo, according to the warrants. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Each of those arrested individuals were charged with soliciting a prostitute, a state felony in Texas. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. Hohman said it's important for people to be educated on the topic to protect themselves and their children. And an operations director of a large hospital network. In 2021, Collin County officials made 18 arrests during 'Operation Safe Halloween' and seized a number of electronic devices used to contact young children. Define Prostitution in Texas A person can be charged with prostitution under Section 43.02 of the Texas Penal Code in two situations: This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. J.D. Officials say six of the men were arrested the first day with four more being taken into custody on the second day of the operation. Why try to catch him if it was so hard? These are individuals that we've told our children are safe. A youth pastor was among the 46 men arrested after an investigation revealed those suspected behind sex trafficking cases in North Texas, according to a report from CBS News. "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. But theres a lot of demand in the suburbs.. 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 said in a prepared statement. Anyone who is a victim or has information about other local sex trafficking cases is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733). The Bell County Sheriffs Department, with its partners the Bell County The operation was a partnership with the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, Fort Hood Military Police and Fort Hood Criminal Investigations Divisions. 11:30 AM on Jan 23, 2023 CST Updated at 11:54 AM on Jan 23, 2023 CST. During this weeks operation, one of the defendants negotiated a price but arrived with no money. "Our primary goal is to protect children. Over the course of two days, officers responded to more than 700 communications from 73 different contacts in response to the ads. 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. Police arrested 23 people after an investigation at short A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. He said people have this "misconception" that sex trafficking only occurs in certain parts of Dallas. Texas law enforcement worked to uncover a huge prostitute sting of 46 community men. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. I wasn't a BeyHive member. Simonsen said the county hasnt successfully empaneled a grand jury in about a year. She previously worked as a writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where she covered a bit of everything. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Randy Reynolds, the district attorney in charge of prosecuting felony cases, did not return phone calls. North Texas is under storm risk levels 2, 3 and 4. Williams told Baker the bull was feral and came from the river, according to the warrants. He later learned that ranch hand Cody Williams, 31, caught the cow, according to the warrants. We'd love to hear eyewitness Texas authorities say a precinct chief was among over a dozen people arrested in an undercover prostitution sting operation. Authorities in Texas have arrested at least 30 people intending to buy sex and rescued a child over three days as part of an undercover human trafficking investigation Officials have not divulged names of those arrested. Bell County Sheriffs Department released the identities of 10 men arrested on prostitution charges in a human trafficking suppression operation that concluded Thursday, according to a news release Saturday. By Kevin Krause 6:07 PM on May 24, 2021 CDT On Wednesday and Thursday, digital ads were posted to known websites promoting prostitution. It's not immediately clear which of the suspects listed below have obtained attorneys. Nobody's safe? 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The people charged as a result of this operation preyed on some of our most vulnerable, our children. Officers responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to ads placed as part of the sting over two days. "We had a high school teacher, who is also a football coach, we had a youth pastor," said John Perez with Homeland Security Investigations. The arrestees of this operation are listed below: 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. A 60-day sting operation conducted by law enforcement officers from several agencies netted the arrests of nearly a dozen suspects accused of committing crimes 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. Sparks recalled the judge saying, Well, hes going to market., Sparks, whos lived in Loving County for more than three decades, said the first step after finding cattle is clear: You turn them over to the sheriff., Asked if thats common knowledge, Sparks said: Hes a judge! No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. ", The Sheriffs Department says it's also concerned with the potential connection between prostitution and human trafficking. Sarah Rumpf is a writer on the breaking news team for Fox News Digital. Dallas police officer fired, another suspended over separate incidents, officials say, Thunderstorms roll through North Texas. The moment has gone viral on TikTok with more than one million views. No, the sheriff replied, hed never gotten a report of stray cattle from anyone on the judges ranch, the records state. Additionally, one of them received a charge of resisting arrest, but Bell County did not identify which. About two weeks later, Baker asked Williams to come to the sheriffs office for an interview. "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. BELTON, Texas ( FOX 44) A prostitution sting in Bell County has resulted in ten arrests. 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. I never, never, ever had a conversation about stray cattle with the judge.. 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. Updated: 6:26 PM CST February 25, 2023. 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.. "Many prostitutes are themselves victims of human trafficking," Cruz said. In Frisco, two hotels were used for the undercover operation by the Department of Homeland Security. Baker made it over there before they could be sold, he wrote. The Dallas Police Department's Special Investigation Division ran an operation targeting online sex trafficking in the city of Dallas and Collin County. As Baker and other special rangers investigated, they also laid the groundwork for their sting operation. Inherently, minor sting operations involve the TABC going undercover to identify establishments that sell alcoholic Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. I applaud the dedication of these task force groups, including members of the Dallas Police Department, to bring these suspects to justice. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Investigators also seized terabytes of data and electronic devices that were being used during the commission of these crimes. Each of the defendants arrests have been reviewed by the Bell County District Attorneys office and all criminal charges have been accepted, the release stated. 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 person will not be tolerated. 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 A Connecticut woman says her two 10-year-old German Shepherds, Cimo and Lieben, were shot, beheaded, and killed by a hunter from New York. 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. These were among the 46 men arrested in a massive undercover prostitution sting this month in Frisco and Southlake, local and federal authorities announced. Can I still get Beyonc tickets? Officers responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to ads placed as part of the sting over two days. Weeks passed. Rich said many of the arrests were the result of leads generated through reporting to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The next day, according to the warrants, Baker got a tip that Jones and the ranch hands had previously rounded up stray livestock to sell at auction without notifying the sheriff, as required by state law. However, Perez said, "In reality, it's not. They can be subjected to physical and sexual assault, robbery and even murder.. 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? Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. And they are required to reside within the county, which has become a flashpoint since the Loving County justice of the peace in May sent four prospective jurors including Jones son and a county commissioner to jail on a contempt order for allegedly not living there. Williams arrived with Jones, who asked to talk to Baker. 10 men were arrested last week in a sting operation in Belton. Robertson is with POETIC, a Dallas based organization that helps women and girls who are victims of sex trafficking. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. North Texas Porch Thieves Becoming Bolder, Fort Worth Reviews Violent Crime Response Initiative. 10 men arrested in prostitution sting in Belton; 6 from Killeen, By Jana Lynn Kilcrease | Herald Staff Writer. 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