Nobody's safe? 11:30 AM on Jan 23, 2023 CST Updated at 11:54 AM on Jan 23, 2023 CST. Sarah Bahari, Staff writer. ATLANTA: PROTESTERS CALL FOR 'VIOLENCE' AGAINST POLICE AFTER SHOOTING LEAVES 1 DEAD, OFFICER INJURED. 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. Simonsen said the county hasnt successfully empaneled a grand jury in about a year. He later learned that ranch hand Cody Williams, 31, caught the cow, according to the warrants. 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). GALVESTON, Texas - Fourteen were arrested after a sting operation was conducted in Galveston. 10 men arrested in prostitution sting in Belton; 6 from Killeen, By Jana Lynn Kilcrease | Herald Staff Writer. 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. or anything. accounts, the history behind an article. These were among the 46 men arrested in a massive Investigators said the alleged list of crimes ranges from meeting victims to possessing harmful material on electronics. Why try to catch him if it was so hard? Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. She welcomes the enforcement and glad to see authorities focusing it on those who are often forced to sell their bodies. 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. Police arrested 23 people after an investigation at short-term rentals in Plano and Dallas. I never, never, ever had a conversation about stray cattle with the judge.. person will not be tolerated. One was also charged with resisting arrest. Sarah Rumpf is a writer on the breaking news team for Fox News Digital. "Many prostitutes are themselves victims of human trafficking," Cruz said. "They can be subjected to physical and sexual assault, robbery, and even murder. An additional four individuals were arrested on the second day of the operation, the news release stated. They can be subjected to physical and sexual assault, robbery, and even murder.. In June, Texas officials participated in a three-week operation, known as "Operation Lost Souls." Get an email notification whenever someone contributes to the discussion. Can I still get Beyonc tickets? 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Each of those arrested individuals were charged with soliciting a prostitute, a state felony in Texas. Example video title will go here for this video. What's next? You have permission to edit this article. There are resources for Bell County residents who have knowledge of human trafficking or are in need themselves. Skeet, hes not ours, Sparks recalled saying in an interview with NBC News. 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. Spring turned to summer as Baker built his case, chasing new tips. The Dallas area has a problem with sex trafficking, and authorities are using sting operations among other things to crack down. 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. 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. racist or sexually-oriented language. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. BELTON, Texas (FOX 44) A prostitution sting in Bell County has resulted in ten arrests. By clicking Sign Up, I confirmthat I have read and agreeto the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) conducts minor sting operations as part of its enforcement of these laws, and the TABC is very transparent about the manner in which they conduct these operations. Notifications from this discussion will be disabled. The men had arranged online to meet at the hotels intending to pay for sex, authorities said. All rights reserved, Following a Delivery Truck? 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. Among the 46 men included a high school football coach, a youth pastor and a director of operations at a hospital. First published on January 20, 2023 / 10:14 PM. Then, on March 8, 2021, a Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden contacted Baker. Jones sold the cattle at auction in New Mexico and sent the money to a boys ranch in Amarillo, according to the warrants. In May, they all were booked into Winkler County Jail and released later the same day on bond. 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. BELTON, Texas (FOX 44) A prostitution sting in Bell County has resulted in ten arrests. 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. 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. (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.). Officers then responded to more than 700 messages from 73 different people in response to the ads over two days. Fort Worth youth pastor Lamarcus Strickland was also arrested, according to the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office. It just makes you wonder, where the hell the world is going?". "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. The names of the suspects were not released by federal authorities. Jones climbed atop the tank battery in December, trying to spot him. 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. Be Proactive. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! In early January, they had a solid sighting on the nearby Wheat Ranch, owned by the family of a legendary wildcatter, J.J. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Possession of Child Pornography Texas DPS, Michael Sinnreich, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD, Ernest Martinez, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD, Isaac Hernandez, Possession of Child Pornography Irving PD, Marcus Lugo, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD, Juan Juarez, Promotion of Child Pornography Wylie PD, Jesse McFall, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD/Denton PD, Eduardo Ramirez, Receiving/Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Jesse Giesbrecht, Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography Seminole County Sheriffs Office/FBI, Ubaydah Fadel, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Ivan Hernandez, Sexual Assault of a Child Dallas PD, Ralph Brooks Brown, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Anthony Johnson, Possession with Intent to Promote with Prior Conviction Dallas PD, Nathan Abramovich, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD, JUVENILE, Possession of Child Pornography Wylie PD, Corey Smith Shaw, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Nathanel Black, Possession of Child Pornography Irving PD, Steve Martin, Possession of Child Pornography Plano PD, Tracey Couey, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Ramiro Mendoza, Lara Possession of Child Pornography Irving PD, Charles Stanfiel, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD, Edward Rodriquez, Online Solicitation of a Minor Abilene PD, JUVENILE, Possession of Child Pornography with Intent to Promote Wylie PD, Shemar Green, Possession of Child Pornography and Transportation of Child Pornography FBI-Lubbock/Snyder PD, Cassidy Lush, Distribution of Child Pornography FBI Lubbock, David Espinoza, Possession of Child Pornography FBI Lubbock, Jonathan Paige, Kidnapping/Sex Assault of a Child Plano PD, Christopher Berger, Promotion of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Justin Wyly, Possession of Child Pornography Hopkins County SO, James Wilborn, Indecency with a Child Dallas PD, Thomas Dobbs, Possession of Child Pornography Abilene PD, Craig Schamberger, Online Solicitation Fort Worth PD, Jason Till, Production of Child Pornography Homeland Security Investigations, Pipino Alfredo Castelan Diaz, Solicitation of Prostitution o fa Minor, Irving Woods, Online Solicitation Fort Worth PD/Alaska State Troopers/US Secret Service, Demon Driver, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Joseph Sterle, Possession of Child Pornography DPS-Texarkana, Stephen Benzenhafer, Online Solicitation of a Minor Plano PD, Silvestre Diaz, Indecent Assault Wylie PD, Juan Blaylock, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Maximillian Arya, Possession of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Juvenile, Publish Intimate Visual Material Wylie PD, Gary Mathis, Promotion of Child Pornography Dallas PD, Anthony Garza, Misdemeanor Charge Lubbock PD, Haseeb Memon, Possession with Intent to Promote Child Pornography Wylie PD, Rit Tran, Distribution of Child Pornography, FBI Dallas, Javier Montano, Sex Abuse of a Child, Fort Worth PD. Please enter valid email address to continue. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. The Texas Department of Public Safety and Lubbock Fire Rescue assisted in the operation, according to police. There was a problem saving your notification. 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 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. 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. Some of the conversation seemed strange at the time, Baker noted. 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. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In an interview with NBC News, Busse reiterated the denial, saying it was 100 percent false. 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. 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Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. But Jones supporters say he was set up. 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 What Jones most likely didnt realize from his steel perch as he scanned the horizon: He, too, was being watched as part of a cattle-rustling sting operation devised by special rangers with the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. 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. A man was arrested in an international sting operation targeting drug smugglers. It's well known that prostitutes walk the streets nightly in a rundown part of Northwest Dallas. 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. No, the sheriff replied, hed never gotten a report of stray cattle from anyone on the judges ranch, the records state. Daniel Johnson, a resident of Texas, sang "Hallelujah Here Below" by Elevation Worship to his premature son, Remington Hayze Johnson. After trying fruitlessly to catch them by putting out feed as bait, Jones and Medlin and the other ranch hands rounded them up in September with the help of a helicopter. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism J.D. Updated: 6:26 PM CST February 25, 2023. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. And an operations director of a large hospital network. On Feb. 22-23, digital ads were placed on known websites promoting prostitution. The accused listed below are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A youth pastor. FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) Federal authorities announced a major crackdown on prostitution that reveals sex trafficking in North Texas remains an ongoing And an operations director of a large hospital network. "There are known incidents, though many go unreported, of johns being assaulted, robbed and, right here in Bell County, recently murdered," Cruz said. In Texas, the solicitation of prostitution is considered a felony and is punishable with up two years in prison and a $10,000 fine. 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. Baker made it over there before they could be sold, he wrote. H.B. Awareness of sexual trafficking and exploitation have grown immensely in recent years, heightened by a handful of high-profile cases. 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. Below are those formally charged so far in the operation. Fuchs said the investigation is ongoing and could result in more charges. Police arrested 23 people after an investigation at short Market data provided by Factset. The operation was a partnership with the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, Fort Hood Military Police and Fort Hood Criminal Investigations Divisions. High 83F. / CBS Texas. What do you think his plan was?. 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. Scott Wooden was arrested on Feb. 11 during a prostitution sting operation conducted by the Polk County Sheriffs Department. "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. (Tarrant County Sheriff's Office). The arrests were the result of a join human trafficking operation between multiple local law enforcement agencies. 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. Dallas police officer fired, another suspended over separate incidents, officials say, Thunderstorms roll through North Texas. 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