134, including nurse and city employee, arrested in North Texas commercial sex sting: feds
More than 100 people across four North Texas cities, including a nurse and a city employee, have been arrested in a commercial sex sting operation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials said in a press release Wednesday.
A total of 134 people were arrested and accused of the purchase of sex, which is a felony in Texas, the release said.
The Department of Homeland Security declined to release the names, but said those arrested included a nurse employed at a major Dallas-based medical network, a pending hire at a police department, a prominent city employee, two human traffickers and four people with access to the secure area of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
The arrests occurred in Arlington, Midlothian, Richardson and Richland Hills, according to a Homeland Security Investigations spokesperson.
Texas is the first state to prosecute the solicitation of sex as a felony, according to the release.
Lester Hayes Jr., the agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, said sex trafficking, which is a form of human trafficking, is among the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the country.
“Human trafficking organizations often target minors and other marginalized populations because of their vulnerabilities,” Hayes said in the release. “Potential customers who seek commercial sex are often as culpable as those who levy violence to keep their victims entrapped.”
An assortment of guns and drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana, were also seized during the Sept. 11-15 operation, officials said.
Fifteen law enforcement agencies, including the Tarrant County Human Trafficking Task Force and the Arlington, Dallas. Haltom City and Lake Worth police departments, participated in the operation.
Suspected sex trafficking can be reported through the Homeland Security Investigations tip line at 866-347-2423. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
This story was originally published September 20, 2023 at 4:28 PM.
