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 Are you in favor of allowing Killeen residents to have backyard chickens, as outlined in a proposed ordinance? The moment has gone viral on TikTok with more than one million views. A Harris County, Texas, precinct chief was among more than a dozen arrested Wednesday evening in an undercover prostitution sting operation, authorities said. High 83F. 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. We'd love to hear eyewitness 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. A youth pastor. The investigation involved nearly three dozen law enforcement agencies from across North Texas and from as far away as Alaska. The Waco Police Department said Friday afternoon that its FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) Federal authorities announced a major crackdown on prostitution that reveals sex trafficking in North Texas remains an ongoing problem. 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. 11:30 AM on Jan 23, 2023 CST Updated at 11:54 AM on Jan 23, 2023 CST. Spring turned to summer as Baker built his case, chasing new tips. You have permission to edit this article. Those arrested also included a volunteer firefighter, a semi-professional hockey player, and the director of operations for a large hospital network in Texas. About two weeks later, Baker asked Williams to come to the sheriffs office for an interview. But what do they mean? Can I still get Beyonc tickets? Don't knowingly lie about anyone In an interview with NBC News, Busse reiterated the denial, saying it was 100 percent false. Bell County Sheriffs Department released the identities of 10 men arrested on prostitution charges in a human trafficking suppression operation that 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. 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. I would caution parents to take a good look at yourself, take a good look at the people that you have your children around, understand the environment in which you're letting children have digital equipment in your home," said Hohman. 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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. "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. Williams arrived with Jones, who asked to talk to Baker. (Tarrant County Sheriff's Office). Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, The Central Texas sting operation from August 1 to August 4 involved Bell County investigators posing online as a juvenile under 17 years old. North Texas is under storm risk levels 2, 3 and 4. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 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. 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. "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.". 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. Jones climbed atop the tank battery in December, trying to spot him. Hohman said it's important for people to be educated on the topic to protect themselves and their children. The Sheriff's Department said they are concerned about possible links between prostitution and human trafficking. There are resources for Bell County residents who have knowledge of human trafficking or are in need themselves. 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.. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. When ranch hand Cody Williams pulled up at the barn hauling the bull, Baker was waiting. Simonsen said the county hasnt successfully empaneled a grand jury in about a year. You go ahead., Alvarado, Jones ranch hand, roped the bull in a pasture and helped load him into a trailer. The names of the suspects were not released by federal authorities. 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. It's well known that prostitutes walk the streets nightly in a rundown part of Northwest Dallas. 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This is the second extensive commercial sex sting operation involving North Texas suburbs in recent months. 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. Ten people were arrested, ranging in age from 23 to 77. January 20, 2023 / 10:14 PM An additional four individuals were arrested on the second day of the operation, the news release stated. Additionally, one of the men received a charge of resisting arrest. No, the sheriff replied, hed never gotten a report of stray cattle from anyone on the judges ranch, the records state. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Cloudy skies this evening followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms overnight. 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. Known as "Operation Home Alone", law enforcement officials used the undercover operation to target suspects believed to have been preying on young adolescents online. "There's thousands and thousands of ads posted every day in the metroplex," Perez said. What's next? 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. When police have a strong suspicion that an individual has a predisposition to commit a crime, they may set up a sting operation to She welcomes the enforcement and glad to see authorities focusing it on those who are often forced to sell their bodies. WebLike many other states, Texas police run plenty of sting operations. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. He got permission from a landowner to turn them loose. But Jones supporters say he was set up. The Sheriffs Department is also concerned with the potential connection between prostitution and human trafficking. 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. According to LPD, the sting was conducted on February 9 in the 5800 block of 6th Street. "Our effort is to deter all people from seeking out this criminal behavior, and, therefore, making our County safer for everyone.". Each of the arrested individuals was charged with Soliciting a Prostitute, a state felony in Texas. 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. The Bell County Sheriffs Department, with its partners the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, th Among the 46 men included a high school football coach, a youth pastor and a director of operations at a hospital. A youth pastor. Our effort is to deter all people from seeking out this criminal behavior, and, therefore, making our County safer for everyone.. Dallas police officer fired, another suspended over separate incidents, officials say, Thunderstorms roll through North Texas. All rights reserved. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. In May, they all were booked into Winkler County Jail and released later the same day on bond. Officers responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to ads placed as part of the sting over two days. In early January, they had a solid sighting on the nearby Wheat Ranch, owned by the family of a legendary wildcatter, J.J. A high school teacher and football coach. Texas just became the first state to make a first-time solicitation of prostitution offense a felony. Generally cloudy. Investigators also seized terabytes of data and electronic devices that were being used during the commission of these crimes. 10 men arrested in prostitution sting in Belton; 6 from Killeen, By Jana Lynn Kilcrease | Herald Staff Writer. Jones lawyer did not return phone calls.). H.B. 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 Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. Jones called up Alan Sparks, 64, the Wheat Ranch foreman, and asked for permission to try to catch the black bull. The North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and FBI Dallas Divisions Child Exploitation Task Force said Friday that from Jan. 16 through Feb. 10 highly skilled computer crimes investigators from agencies around North Texas took part in Operation Janus, an effort to identify and rescue children forced into sexual acts and arrest the abusers who were trafficking images and videos of those acts online. (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.). WISCONSIN MAN INDICTED IN FORCED LABOR CASE INVOLVING WOMAN HELD AGAINST HER WILL FOR TWO YEARS, 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. And then the ripple effect of that is we'll catch people that are making these types of offenses. 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. 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. They can be subjected to physical and sexual assault, robbery and even murder.. Robertson is with POETIC, a Dallas based organization that helps women and girls who are victims of sex trafficking. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. 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. Daniel Johnson, a resident of Texas, sang "Hallelujah Here Below" by Elevation Worship to his premature son, Remington Hayze Johnson. Advocates who help women and children survivors of sex trafficking said the arrests shed light on a bigger problem. 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 Known as "Operation Home "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.". Some individuals are in custody but charges are pending.Additional names and charges are to be released. 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. 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. On Thursday, the Collin County Sheriff's Office announced its successful sting operation that took place from March 22 through March 24. "In a previous sting, we arrested an individual with body bags, duct tape, and bleach in his trunk. 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 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. ', 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. The arrestees of this operation are listed below: Additionally, one of them received a charge of resisting arrest, but Bell County did not identify which. He knows.. Market data provided by Factset. Some of these were teachers who have direct access to our children. 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. Fuchs said the investigation is ongoing and could result in more charges. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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