Miles is an award-winning reporter who has been covering North Texas for CBS 11 since 1996. Officers responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to ads placed as part of the sting over two days. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Generally cloudy. ), Three days later, Sparks saw the judge at the courthouse and they chatted briefly about the bull, Sparks said. The moment has gone viral on TikTok with more than one million views. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. BELTON, Texas (FOX 44) A prostitution sting in Bell County has resulted in ten arrests. Known as "Operation Home Alone", law enforcement officials used the undercover operation to target suspects believed to have been preying on young adolescents online. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. 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. Wheat. A youth pastor. The devices are being examined forensically and may lead to the investigation of other offenders and additional charges. Law officials say 15 arrests were made following an undercover online child solicitation operation. The operation coincided with the Department of Homeland Securitys Blue Campaign to highlight Human Trafficking Prevention Month, which is January. This is the second extensive commercial sex sting operation involving North Texas suburbs in recent months. Don't knowingly lie about anyone In Texas, the solicitation of prostitution is considered a felony and is punishable with up two years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Please enter valid email address to continue. And then the ripple effect of that is we'll catch people that are making these types of offenses. She previously worked as a writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where she covered a bit of everything. On Thursday, the Collin County Sheriff's Office announced its successful sting operation that took place from March 22 through March 24. The names of the suspects were not released by federal authorities. Officials have not divulged names of those arrested. Low 66F. Authorities say they will inform the employers of those arrested. According to LPD, the sting was conducted on February 9 in the 5800 block of 6th Street. ", Skinner urges parents to talk with their children about their devices and to "report any suspicious activity to their nearest law enforcement agency.". Be Nice. 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). This is the second extensive commercial sex sting operation involving North Texas suburbs in recent months. 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. 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. 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! or anything. 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.. It's well known that prostitutes walk the streets nightly in a rundown part of Northwest Dallas. Theres no question about that, said Steve Simonsen, who is the Loving County attorney and married to a cousin of Jones. 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. 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. 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. Rich said many of the arrests were the result of leads generated through reporting to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A youth pastor. Those arrested also included a volunteer firefighter, a semi-professional hockey player, and the director of operations for a large hospital network in Texas. "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. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Agents in both Texas and Mississippi teamed up making a total of 15 arrests. No, the sheriff replied, hed never gotten a report of stray cattle from anyone on the judges ranch, the records state. But what do they mean? Below are those formally charged so far in the operation. Sarah Bahari is a trending news reporter. She welcomes the enforcement and glad to see authorities focusing it on those who are often forced to sell their bodies. 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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 a previous sting, we arrested an individual with body bags, duct tape, and bleach in his trunk. 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. "Many prostitutes are themselves victims of human trafficking," Cruz said. I positively identified the pair as being the same reddish-brown cow and calf I had released in Loving County, he wrote. 10 men arrested in prostitution sting in Belton; 6 from Killeen, By Jana Lynn Kilcrease | Herald Staff Writer. I applaud the dedication of these task force groups, including members of the Dallas Police Department, to bring these suspects to justice. The Texas Department of Public Safety and Lubbock Fire Rescue assisted in the operation, according to police. (In Texas, the penalty for killing a stray cow is a felony with the same possible punishment as stealing one up to 10 years in jail.). H.B. The men allegedly arranged online to meet at the hotels where they intended to pay for sex, authorities said. Jones lawyer did not return phone calls.). Possession of Child Pornography Possession of Lewd Visual Material Texas DPS, Michael W. Newhouse, Sr. The arrests were the result of a join human trafficking operation between multiple local law enforcement agencies. We also had a semi-pro hockey player. ", Another concern is for those soliciting, who have often become the victims of other crimes. 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. 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. During this weeks operation, one of the defendants negotiated a price but arrived with no money. It is common practice for officers to engage in this behavior in a prostitution sting in order to gain the suspects trust and carry out the sting operation in Texas. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! A Harris County, Texas, precinct chief was among more than a dozen arrested Wednesday evening in an undercover prostitution sting operation, authorities said. 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. Prostitution sting operation in Frisco results in the arrest of 46 men over 2 days. or redistributed. The aim of the operation was to rescue child victims as well as apprehend abusers who were trafficking illegal images and videos of children forced into sexual What do you think his plan was?. Read the crime and public safety news your neighbors are talking about. Texas law enforcement worked to uncover a huge prostitute sting of 46 community men. / CBS Texas. 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. The Central Texas sting operation from August 1 to August 4 involved Bell County investigators posing online as a juvenile under 17 years old. In June, Texas officials participated in a three-week operation, known as "Operation Lost Souls." Be Truthful. GALVESTON, Texas - Fourteen were arrested after a sting operation was conducted in Galveston. Operation Janus allowed us to collectively support each other by sharing resources and intelligence to catch predators in the act. ODESSA, TX (KWES) - Seven people were arrested on prostitution related charges after an undercover operation in Odessa. Baker obtained a brownish-red cow and calf and a black bull and equipped them with microchips. 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. These were among the 46 men arrested in a massive Spring turned to summer as Baker built his case, chasing new tips. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. 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 Each of the people arrested was charged with Soliciting a Prostitute, which in Texas is a state felony. 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. A high school teacher and football coach and a local youth pastor were among the 46 men arrested in a massive undercover prostitution sting in Texas, local and federal authorities announced. You have permission to edit this article. On Feb. 22-23, digital ads were placed on known websites promoting prostitution. Thank you for reading! Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) Federal authorities announced a major crackdown on prostitution that reveals sex trafficking in North Texas remains an ongoing This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Officers then responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to the ads over two days. Our effort is to deter all people from seeking out this criminal behavior, and, therefore, making our County safer for everyone.. The Bell County Sheriffs Department, with its partners the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, th On Jan. 6, the same day that Sparks and Jones chatted at the courthouse, Baker got a tip that the black bull was en route from Jones ranch to the Big Spring Sale Barn. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Keep it Clean. "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.". 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