Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Who wants to show up for jury duty, which a lot of people dont really want to do anyway, and get a free trip to the jail house? Simonsen asked. "They can be subjected to physical and sexual assault, robbery, and even murder. Busse, the sheriff, denied that to Baker. On Thursday, the Collin County Sheriff's Office announced its successful sting operation that took place from March 22 through March 24. 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. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Low 66F. The Bell County Sheriff's Department says that the sting was part of a Human Trafficking Suppression operation in partnership with the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, the Fort Hood Military Police, and the Fort Hood Criminal Investigations Division. "We had a high school teacher, who is also a football coach, we had a youth pastor," said John Perez with Homeland Security Investigations. A Harris County, Texas, precinct chief was among more than a dozen arrested Wednesday evening in an undercover prostitution sting operation, authorities said. We also had a semi-pro hockey player. 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 Forty-six men who included a high school football coach, a youth pastor and a director of operations at a hospital were recently arrested during a multi-agency operation targeting the demand for commercial sex in North Texas, a federal agency announced on Friday. 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). Over the course of two days, officers responded to more than 700 communications from 73 different contacts in response to the ads. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Share with Us. The Dallas area has a problem with sex trafficking, and authorities are using sting operations among other things to crack down. Operation Janus allowed us to collectively support each other by sharing resources and intelligence to catch predators in the act. Skeet Jones mentioned that he and his ranch hands catch stray cattle and sell them and donate the money to boys ranches in Texas. The Bell County Sheriffs Department, with its partners the Bell County Law enforcement groups say over the course of the operation, 28 children were rescued from online sexual abuse, and investigators seized terabytes of data and Investigators said the alleged list of crimes ranges from meeting victims to possessing harmful material on electronics. Each of those arrested individuals were charged with soliciting a prostitute, a state felony in Texas. They can be subjected to physical and sexual assault, robbery, and even murder.. Courtesy photo. 20. Officers then responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to the ads over two days. Over the course of the operation, which took place across Feb. 22 and 23, female deputies posed as prostitutes in digital ads on websites reportedly known for promoting prostitution, said the Sheriff's Department. On Thursday, the Collin County Sheriff's Office announced its successful sting operation that took place from March 22 through March 24. Scott Wooden was arrested on Feb. 11 during a prostitution sting operation conducted by the Polk County Sheriffs Department. Jones lawyer did not return phone calls.). 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TheDallas Police Department (DPD) said its Special Investigation Division ran an operation targeting online sex trafficking in the city of Dallas and Collin County. According to the warrants, the reddish-brown cow and calf and the black bull in the sting operation were taken to an undisclosed location to be cared for., Chicago Mayor Lightfoot ousted; Vallas, Johnson in runoff, King asks Duke and Duchess of Sussex to move out of Frogmore so Prince Andrew can move in, Biden Mocks Marjorie Taylor Greene With 1 Simple Hand Gesture, A Nebraska high-school cheerleader competed on her own after the rest of her squad quit. "Our effort is to deter all people from seeking out this criminal behavior, and, therefore, making our County safer for everyone.". Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. Then, on March 8, 2021, a Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden contacted Baker. Ten people were arrested, ranging in age from 23 to 77. 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, "Here in Collin County, we will continue to do what is necessary to protect our children," said Sheriff Skinner. Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. "There are known incidents, though many go unreported, of johns being assaulted, robbed and, right here in Bell County, recently murdered," Cruz said. Williams arrived with Jones, who asked to talk to Baker. When police have a strong suspicion that an individual has a predisposition to commit a crime, they may set up a sting operation to 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.. Chance of rain 40%. Cecil Tim Morrison, a teacher at Marcus High School and the football teams offensive coordinator, resigned after his arrest for solicitation of a prostitute, according to the Lewisville Independent School District (ISD). Read the crime and public safety news your neighbors are talking about. The undercover officers placed ads that blended in with countless others found online, according to CBS News. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, These were among the 46 men arrested in a massive undercover prostitution sting this month in Frisco and Southlake, local and federal authorities announced. What is a police sting operation? A high school teacher and football coach. The accused listed below are presumed innocent until proven guilty. 10 men arrested in prostitution sting in Belton; 6 from Killeen, By Jana Lynn Kilcrease | Herald Staff Writer. Using information from informants, he expanded his investigation to include Leroy Medlin, a former Loving County Sheriffs deputy whod been fired from the San Antonio Police Department and was working as a part-time ranch hand for Jones. Theres no question about that, said Steve Simonsen, who is the Loving County attorney and married to a cousin of Jones. 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.. 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. Many prostitutes are themselves victims of human trafficking, Cruz said. Australian Federal Police blurred the suspect's face due to privacy concerns. Some of these were teachers who have direct access to our children. On Feb. 22-23, digital ads were placed on known websites promoting prostitution. Baker alleged in the warrants that Medlin, 35, spotted three bulls and a heifer without markings roaming near the Pecos River in June in Reeves County. They were afraid the bull would get in with their cattle, Jones replied. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Our effort is to deter all people from seeking out this criminal behavior, and, therefore, making our County safer for everyone.. According to federal officials in the Dallas branch of Homeland Security Investigations, one of the 46 men was Fort Worth pastor Lamarcus Strickland. 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. During this weeks operation, one of the defendants negotiated a price but arrived with no money. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a month-long operation, it's very representative of the vast number of people that are addicted to pornography, and what I believe is an epidemic in our country," said Jennifer Hohman, an advocate who helps women and children who have been exploited in sex trafficking. The Texas Department of Public Safety and Lubbock Fire Rescue assisted in the operation, according to police. The men looking to pay for sex responded to the ads, arrived at the hotels in Frisco and Southlake, and were greeted by police officers waiting for them. 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. Each of the people arrested was charged with Soliciting a Prostitute, which in Texas is a state felony. What's next? The operation was a partnership with the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, Fort Hood Military Police and Fort Hood Criminal Investigations Divisions. Simonsen said the county hasnt successfully empaneled a grand jury in about a year. In the past, we have heard public criticism to operations like this that amounted to this is just sex between consenting adults, Chief Deputy TJ Cruz said, but thats far from the truth., In a previous sting, we arrested an individual with body bags, duct tape, bleach in his trunk, Cruz continued. I never, never, ever had a conversation about stray cattle with the judge.. 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. There was a problem saving your notification. Soliciting prostitution used to be a slap on the wrist misdemeanor charge. So Baker, a 39-year law enforcement veteran, started scouring livestock sale logs and called up Loving County Sheriff Chris Busse to make sure Jones and the ranch hands hadnt reported any stray cattle to him, according to the warrants. In an interview with NBC News, Busse reiterated the denial, saying it was 100 percent false. The Dallas Police Department's Special Investigation Division ran an operation targeting online sex trafficking in the city of Dallas and Collin County. 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 FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) Federal authorities announced a major crackdown on prostitution that reveals sex trafficking in North Texas remains an ongoing problem. Example video title will go here for this video. 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. "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.". "We have no indication the circumstances of his arrest involved students," Brim said. Be Proactive. 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