Tarrant County Sheriff Waybourn’s adult son arrested on suspicion of soliciting a minor
One of Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn’s adult children was arrested Monday by Arlington police on suspicion of soliciting a person under 18, assault on a peace officer, and resisting arrest.
William Lucas Waybourn, 20, was released from the Arlington city jail on $25,500 bond following his arrest on March 3, according to court records.
An Arlington police spokesperson said the arrest occurred when officers were called to a business in the 100 block of South Bowen Road about 4:45 p.m. Monday. A 911 caller told dispatchers that a girl under 18 years old went into the business and said that a man she didn’t know made sexually explicit comments to her and was following her, according to police.
The caller provided a good description of the suspect, police said, and an officer spotted a man who matched the description nearby along Bowen Road and stopped him.
After briefly speaking with the man, identified as William Waybourn, officers tried to detain him and put him in a police vehicle. He became upset and resisted, and an officer’s arm was injured during the scuffle, police said.
William Waybourn is the sheriff’s adopted son, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The Sheriff is disappointed in the choices his son made but has taught his children there are consequences to those actions,” the statement says. “These cases originated in Arlington and will be processed by that agency and submitted to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office.
“It is a challenging time for the Waybourn family, but they are not strangers to the hurdles of raising children with mental disabilities and other special needs,” the statement continues.
“William is one of eight adopted children,” all of whom the sheriff and his wife “adopted out of orphanages or abusive environments,” according to the statement.
“William is developmentally challenged and faces life with Fetal-Alcohol Syndrome due to drug and alcohol use by his biological mother during pregnancy,” the Sheriff’s Office said. “FAS can cause a range of developmental and cognitive impairments, including learning disabilities, poor motor skills, behavioral problems and difficulties in social situations. As many people in the community understand, young adults with such difficulties often end up in the justice system. It is a sad reality for these individuals who don’t have resources to help them assimilate into society in a traditional way.”
In the statement, Sheriff Waybourn urged other families to consider adoption.
“To those who are considering adoption, please do not let this situation scare you away from that noble plan,” he said. “Advocating for children through adoption can bring blessings to both you and the children. This is speed bump in the road of our journey, and we will all come out on the other side.”
The family “requests the respect of their privacy as they navigate this unfortunate situation,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
This story was originally published March 4, 2025 at 11:55 AM.
