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. Share with Us. 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. 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. 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. During this weeks operation, one of the defendants negotiated a price but arrived with no money. Skeet Jones mentioned that he and his ranch hands catch stray cattle and sell them and donate the money to boys ranches in Texas. Investigators also seized terabytes of data and electronic devices that were being used during the commission of these crimes. I wasn't a BeyHive member. 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. Known as "Operation Home Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Legal Statement. 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. quote: Awareness of sexual trafficking and exploitation have grown immensely in recent years, heightened by a handful of high-profile cases. He said people have this "misconception" that sex trafficking only occurs in certain parts of Dallas. Chief Deputy TJ Cruz explained that operations like these are meant to protect public safety and prevent human trafficking. 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. 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She explained that the progression of people looking at illicit mages and videos can lead to action and put even more children in harm's way and also lead to sex trafficking. "We had a high school teacher, who is also a football coach, we had a youth pastor," said John Perez with Homeland Security Investigations. Texas father sings 'worship song' to premature son who was given 21% survival rate, in a massive undercover prostitution sting in Texas, resigned after his arrest for solicitation of a prostitute, Fort Worth youth pastor Lamarcus Strickland, the Department of Homeland Securitys Blue Campaign. "Many prostitutes are themselves victims of human trafficking," Cruz said. Then, on March 8, 2021, a Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden contacted Baker. Anyone who is or who knows a potential victim in this, or any other case of sex trafficking or human trafficking or has any information regarding this or any other investigation can contact Homeland Security Investigations Toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423. "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 told Fox 4. The operation coincided with the Department of Homeland Securitys Blue Campaign to highlight Human Trafficking Prevention Month, which is January. The Bell County Sheriffs Department, with its partners the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, th 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. Generally cloudy. Busse, the sheriff, denied that to Baker. 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). 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 DALLAS Twenty-three people have been arrested in relation to an online sex trafficking scheme, Dallas police told WFAA on Thursday. Some of these were teachers who have direct access to our children. They may be geared to catching online predators using sites like BackPage.com, drug dealers or johns using WACO, Texas (FOX 44) Twelve arrests have been made in a McLennan County prostitution sting. During this weeks operation, one of the defendants negotiated a price but arrived with no money. The men arrested also included a high school football coach and a director of operations at a hospital. On Feb. 22-23, digital ads were placed on known websites promoting prostitution. H.B. Chance of rain 40%. Can I still get Beyonc tickets? And on Oct. 18, thats what he did, setting the operation into motion. Baker made it over there before they could be sold, he wrote. So we'll go at it from that aspect first. This fall, Jones is running unopposed for re-election, but some of his allies, including his sister, are facing challengers for the first time in years, amid heated debate over how the county should be run. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism 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 through. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Why try to catch him if it was so hard? 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 men had arranged online to meet at the hotels intending to pay for sex, authorities said. Six people were arrested on Feb. 22 and an additional four were arrested on Feb. 23. 10 men arrested in prostitution sting in Belton; 6 from Killeen, By Jana Lynn Kilcrease | Herald Staff Writer. 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 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. Loving County, the least-populated county in the continental U.S., had 57 residents as of the latest U.S. Census Bureau estimate. Hohman said it's important for people to be educated on the topic to protect themselves and their children. The Dallas Police Department (DPD) said its Special Investigation Division ran an operation targeting online sex trafficking in the city of Dallas and Collin County. This is one of many operations the Collin County Sheriffs have conducted. Williams arrived with Jones, who asked to talk to Baker. Baker asked. The documents detail a yearlong investigation, replete with confidential informants and a sting operation involving a reddish-brown cow, her calf and the black yearling bull all equipped by the special rangers with microchips. Thank you for reading! Fort Worth youth pastor Lamarcus Strickland was also arrested, according to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office. According to federal officials in the Dallas branch of Homeland Security Investigations, one of the 46 men was Fort Worth pastor Lamarcus Strickland. Under Texas law, grand jurors cannot be related by blood or marriage. Market data provided by Factset. None of the defendants have been indicted by a grand jury, which is the next step in the legal process. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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. They can be subjected to physical and sexual assault, robbery, and even murder.. There was a problem saving your notification. The operation was carried out by about 15 officers from the Texas City crime suppression unit, the U.S. Possession of Child Pornography Possession of Lewd Visual Material Texas DPS, Michael W. Newhouse, Sr. 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. On the first day of the operation, six individuals were arrested. Officials in El Paso, Midland, Ector and Tom Green recovered 70 children ranging in age from 10 to 17 who were victims of sex trafficking, physical and sexual abuse, according to a press release from the Department of Homeland Security. All rights reserved, Following a Delivery Truck? It just makes you wonder, where the hell the world is going?". Soliciting prostitution used to be a slap on the wrist misdemeanor charge. What is a police sting operation? It's not immediately clear which of the suspects listed below have obtained attorneys. The devices are being examined forensically and may lead to the investigation of other offenders and additional charges. 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. Baker wrote in the warrants that he had spoken briefly with the judge, whose late father, Elgin Punk Jones served as the sheriff for 28 years. What do you think his plan was? BELTON, Texas (FOX 44) A prostitution sting in Bell County has resulted in ten arrests. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Teachers, firemen, nurses, and so that's extremely concerning in this particular operation. 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). A Harris County, Texas, precinct chief was among more than a dozen arrested Wednesday evening in an undercover prostitution sting operation, authorities said. A police sting operation in Texas City led to the arrest of two women on prostitution charges and 11 men allegedly seeking prostitutes, Texas City police said Monday. A man was arrested in an international sting operation targeting drug smugglers. In a previous sting, we arrested an individual with body bags, duct tape and bleach in his trunk, Cruz said. There is no indication from the records that the judge or the ranch hands had a role in the cow killings, which remain unsolved. The Central Texas sting operation from August 1 to August 4 involved Bell County investigators posing online as a juvenile under 17 years old. Baker asked if theyd contacted the sheriffs office and Williams replied that it was above his pay grade. Officers said they received over 700 communications from 73 different people over the course of the two days. I never, never, ever had a conversation about stray cattle with the judge.. She said the support she got from other teams was 'overwhelming. But for weeks, the black bull continued to elude Jones and his ranch hands, even though they put out feed and water, Baker wrote. The Sheriffs Department is also concerned with the potential connection between prostitution and human trafficking. We also had a semi-pro hockey player. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. J.D. Roughly a dozen law enforcement agencies participated in the operation Jan. 12 and 13 at the Hyatt near Stonebriar Centre in Frisco and the Hilton at Southlake Town Square. A youth pastor. The accused listed below are presumed innocent until proven guilty. 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). Known as "Operation Home Alone", law enforcement officials used the undercover operation to target suspects believed to have been preying on young adolescents online. Spring turned to summer as Baker built his case, chasing new tips. "These predators are very sophisticated in their use of technology and exploit online forums to target and communicate with children. 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. ", Perez added that this sting operation proves that sex trafficking is prevalent everywhere. 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He got permission from a landowner to turn them loose. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A high school teacher and football coach. "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. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Inherently, minor sting operations involve the TABC going undercover to identify establishments that sell alcoholic On Wednesday and Thursday, digital ads were posted to known websites promoting prostitution. 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 Be Truthful. Over the course of two days, officers responded to more than 700 communications from 73 different contacts in response to the ads. WACO, Texas (FOX 44) Twelve arrests have been made in a McLennan County prostitution sting. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. 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. W&P Porter bowl review: A container that makes office Texas-based Corner Bakery Cafe files for bankruptcy, We tried the chicken fried steak that (briefly) shut down Mr. Juicy, Luna Rosa opens in former Rosario's Southtown location, San Antonio congressman Joaquin Castro diagnosed with cancer, San Antonio's massive pirate-themed park delays opening date, Buc-ee's plans global domination with a proposed Wisconsin store, DPS sent at least 3,000 drivers licenses to organized crime group targeting Asian Texans. They were afraid the bull would get in with their cattle, Jones replied. 10 men were arrested last week in a sting operation in Belton. 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. 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. "There are known incidents, though many go unreported, of johns being assaulted, robbed and, right here in Bell County, recently murdered, Cruz said. Wheat. 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. Officers responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to ads placed as part of the sting over two days. Texas authorities say a precinct chief was among over a dozen people arrested in an undercover prostitution sting operation. The operation was a partnership with the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, Fort Hood Military Police and Fort Hood Criminal Investigations Divisions. Ten people were arrested, that is degrading to another person. As Baker and other special rangers investigated, they also laid the groundwork for their sting operation. (Tarrant County Sheriff's Office). This is the second extensive commercial sex sting operation involving North Texas suburbs in recent months. What is the biggest issue affecting Killeen? It's well known that prostitutes walk the streets nightly in a rundown part of Northwest Dallas. Ten people were arrested, ranging in age from 23 to 77. Randy Reynolds, the district attorney in charge of prosecuting felony cases, did not return phone calls. The investigation involved nearly three dozen law enforcement agencies from across North Texas and from as far away as Alaska. BELL COUNTY, Texas Ten "would-be johns" have been arrested in a joint prostitution sting in Bell County, according to the Bell County Sheriff's Department. 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. Below are those formally charged so far in the operation. She previously worked as a writer for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, where she covered a bit of everything. 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 In 2021, Collin County officials made 18 arrests during 'Operation Safe Halloween' and seized a number of electronic devices used to contact young children. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, in Jan. 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. "There are known incidents, though many go unreported, of johns being assaulted, robbed and, right here in Bell County, recently murdered," Cruz said. 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 theres a lot of demand in the suburbs.. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, 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. The names of the suspects were not released by federal authorities. According to federal officials in the Dallas branch of Homeland Security Investigations, one of the 46 men was Fort Worth pastor Lamarcus Strickland. 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. And the bull was eating his grass, he added. 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. Agents in both Texas and Mississippi teamed up making a total of 15 arrests. Threats of harming another The Bell County Sheriffs Department, with its partners the Bell County According to LPD, the sting was conducted on February 9 in the 5800 block of 6th Street. 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