When ranch hand Cody Williams pulled up at the barn hauling the bull, Baker was waiting. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. person will not be tolerated. Awareness of sexual trafficking and exploitation have grown immensely in recent years, heightened by a handful of high-profile cases. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. What do you think his plan was?. Low 66F. 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. But what do they mean? Galveston police along with Texas DPS, Galveston County Sheriff's Office, and Homeland Security made 14 arrests with 16 total charges after conducting an operation to target online solicitation of minors and solicitation of prostitution. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. A high school teacher and football coach. Ten people were arrested, ranging in age from 23 to 77. The names of the suspects were not released by federal authorities. Generally cloudy. I never, never, ever had a conversation about stray cattle with the judge.. 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. Human smugglers showed off their successful smuggling operation through a remote stretch of West Texas desert, posting a video online where they inadvertently revealed their location to law enforce The Sheriff's Department said they are concerned about possible links between prostitution and human trafficking. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) In January 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. By Kevin Krause 6:07 PM on May 24, 2021 CDT By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. It's all over the metroplex.". 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. "There are known incidents, though many go unreported, of johns being assaulted, robbed and, right here in Bell County, recently murdered," Cruz said. The arrestees of this operation are listed below: Sarah Bahari is a trending news reporter. "I'm very happy to see those soliciting being prosecuted because if there's no demand there's no supply," said Chelsea Robertson. Then Baker got a tip on Nov. 4 that the reddish-brown cow and her calf had been captured and were penned up on the Joneses family ranch, the warrants state. The Sheriffs Department is also concerned with the potential connection between prostitution and human trafficking. What do we tell our kids? "We had a high school teacher, who is also a football coach, we had a youth pastor," said John Perez with Homeland Security Investigations. "We have no indication the circumstances of his arrest involved students," Brim said. Baker wrote in the warrant that Jones told him during the interview at the sheriffs office that his understanding of the estray law is that if cattle are not marked, anyone can claim them., Jones told Baker the sheriff had given him permission to take strays to sale as long as they werent marked or branded. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. Australian Federal Police blurred the suspect's face due to privacy concerns. "Here in Collin County, we will continue to do what is necessary to protect our children," said Sheriff Skinner. "Giving help and support to those who are vulnerable to being pulled into prostitution rings is a great way to start to eradicate the availability of the product.". (Jones and the other defendants declined to comment. The men had arranged online to meet at the hotels intending to pay for sex, authorities said. "There's thousands and thousands of ads posted every day in the metroplex," Perez said. Legal Statement. Right? He later learned that ranch hand Cody Williams, 31, caught the cow, according to the warrants. 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? Busse, the sheriff, denied that to Baker. Many prostitutes are themselves victims of human trafficking, Cruz said. 10 men were arrested last week in a sting operation in Belton. Police arrested a youth pastor and a high school coach and teacher for Ten people were arrested, ranging in age from 23 to 77. Keep it Clean. We will never stop working to identify, locate and apprehend these predators to make our community safer for our children," said Dallas Chief of Police Eddie Garcia. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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. 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. These were among the 46 men arrested in a massive undercover prostitution sting this month in Frisco and Southlake, local and federal authorities announced. There are known incidents, though many go unreported, of johns being assaulted, robbed and, right here in Bell County, recently murdered, Cruz said. 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. 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. In regards to sex trafficking and child pornography, Hohman said there's no bias and that people from all walks of life, jobs and backgrounds can commit these crimes. She welcomes the enforcement and glad to see authorities focusing it on those who are often forced to sell their bodies. 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. "In the past, we have heard public criticism to operations like this that amounted to this is just sex between consenting adults, but thats far from the truth," Chief Deputy T.J. Cruz said in a release. 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. Operation Janus allowed us to collectively support each other by sharing resources and intelligence to catch predators in the act. Some of these were teachers who have direct access to our children. So they put the mother in the pen and let her call her calf up, so they could catch it. Theres no question about that, said Steve Simonsen, who is the Loving County attorney and married to a cousin of Jones. During the operation, investigators seized a large number of electronic devices that will undergo forensic examination and may result in additional criminal charges being filed. 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. accounts, the history behind an article. "In a previous sting, we arrested an individual with body bags, duct tape, and bleach in his trunk. Those arrested also included a volunteer firefighter, a semi-professional hockey player, and the director of operations for a large hospital network in Texas. ", The Sheriffs Department says it's also concerned with the potential connection between prostitution and human trafficking. Then, on March 8, 2021, a Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden contacted Baker. 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. Why try to catch him if it was so hard? Be Proactive. 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, Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Officials have not divulged names of those arrested. Thank you for reading! 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 asked. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. 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. (Tarrant County Sheriff's Office). 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, And an operations director of a large hospital network. 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. The operation coincided with the Department of Homeland Securitys Blue Campaign to highlight Human Trafficking Prevention Month, which is January. 11:30 AM on Jan 23, 2023 CST Updated at 11:54 AM on Jan 23, 2023 CST. 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. Legal Statement. Dallas police officer fired, another suspended over separate incidents, officials say, Thunderstorms roll through North Texas. 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. Over the course of two days, officers responded to more than 700 communications from 73 different contacts in response to the ads. Out of the arrests, 11 were charged with online solicitation of a minor, four with prostitution of a person less than 18-years-old, one charged with sexual performance of a child, and one with possession of child pornography. Investigators also seized terabytes of data and electronic devices that were being used during the commission of these crimes. The devices are being examined forensically and may lead to the investigation of other offenders and additional charges. Nobody's safe? Fort Worth youth pastor Lamarcus Strickland was also arrested, according to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office. Officers responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to ads placed as part of the sting over two days. He knows.. The story behind the cattle sting starts on March 2, 2021, when Special Ranger Marty Baker, 58, was dispatched from Midland, Texas, to Loving County to investigate the shooting deaths of five black stray cattle. 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.. Fuchs said the investigation is ongoing and could result in more charges. ", Perez added that this sting operation proves that sex trafficking is prevalent everywhere. He got permission from a landowner to turn them loose. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Baker took his case to a justice of the peace in Midland, nearly 100 miles away from Loving County, who issued the warrants for Jones, Medlin, Williams and Alvarado. Randy Reynolds, the district attorney in charge of prosecuting felony cases, did not return phone calls. WebLike many other states, Texas police run plenty of sting operations. "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. 10 men arrested in prostitution sting in Belton; 6 from Killeen, By Jana Lynn Kilcrease | Herald Staff Writer. KPD: Man charged in 2020 Killeen homicide case, First Cavalry Division reflects on shared history with Buffalo Soldiers, Ex-ABC journalist charged in child sexual exploitation case, Reader weighs in on BISD decision to allow staffers to carry guns, 10 Heights residents currently preparing to run in May 6 municipal election, Heights reader asserts injustice should never be the standard, Killeen 3rd-grader finds bullet at school, Killeen City Council candidates talk crime, other issues at newspaper forum, Killeen man accused of breaking into frozen treats shop, Killeen burglar headed to prison for 8 years, Cove Fire Department announces Young as new chief, Confederate controversy: Minor launches campaign to raise money for statue relocation. Each of those arrested individuals were charged with soliciting a prostitute, a state felony in Texas. 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. More than 60 men have been snared in a sting operation as they allegedly tried to pay for sex earlier this year at a bogus modeling studio police opened in the Houston area. Bakers conversation with the judge turned to the black bull. The law went into effect earlier this month. In May, they all were booked into Winkler County Jail and released later the same day on bond. As Baker and other special rangers investigated, they also laid the groundwork for their sting operation. 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. Spring turned to summer as Baker built his case, chasing new tips. A youth pastor. Simonsen said the county hasnt successfully empaneled a grand jury in about a year. On the first day of the operation, six individuals were arrested. 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. Updated: 6:26 PM CST February 25, 2023. Officers said they received over 700 communications from 73 different people over the course of the two days. "We had a volunteer firefighter, a director of operations of one of the largest medical systems here in the metroplex. It just makes you wonder, where the hell the world is going?". On Thursday, the Collin County Sheriff's Office announced its successful sting operation that took place from March 22 through March 24. In Texas, the solicitation of prostitution is considered a felony and is punishable with up two years in prison and a $10,000 fine. that is degrading to another person. The safety of alleged johns is also a concern for law enforcement. 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 TheDallas Police Department (DPD) said its Special Investigation Division ran an operation targeting online sex trafficking in the city of Dallas and Collin County. All rights reserved. The undercover officers placed ads that blended in with countless others found online, according to CBS News. 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. 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