Police raid Arlington strip club, arrest suspects in sex-trafficking ring
An undercover operation at an Arlington adult entertainment club led to the rescue of more than 20 sex-trafficking victims and the arrest of four people, officials said.
Multiple law enforcement agencies conducted a joint operation on Oct. 23, targeting Chicas Locas strip club at 2711 Majesty Drive, which was involved in organized sex-trafficking, police and other officials involved in Operation Safe Stage said during a news conference Wednesday.
Two club managers, Oziel Ramos, 25, and Ariel Tapia, 40, were taken into custody and booked into the Arlington City Jail on warrants charging them with aggravated promotion of prostitution, officials said.
Ramos was released Sunday on a $50,000 bond, and Tapia was released Saturday on a $75,000 bond, according to Tarrant County court records.
Officers searched the strip club for other possible criminal activities and checked the people inside for outstanding warrants. Oscar Escobar, 28, was arrested on misdemeanor warrants, and Alejandro Hernandez, 50, was taken into custody on weapon and drug-related charges, officials said.
They have since been transferred to the Tarrant County Jail, Arlington Police Chief Al Jones said.
Multiple pieces of digital and physical evidence were seized from the club. Officers also recovered drug paraphernalia and nearly $13,000 in cash during the operation, Jones said.
Additional interviews with employees helped corroborate the trafficking allegations, police said in a news release.
“Human trafficking is one of the true evils of our society,” Jones said. “It has no place in our communities, and we want to assure our residents, visitors, stakeholders, that we’re doing something about it.”
Police operation started in August
In August, investigators received information about possible sex trafficking occurring at the club. “We were told that employees at Chicas Locas were performing illegal sex acts on customers in exchange for money, and those proceeds then were distributed amongst managers at the business,” Sgt. Tarik Muslimovic said.
Investigators gathered necessary evidence to obtain a search warrant for the club and multiple arrest warrants with the help from undercover detectives and agents, he said.
“Moving forward, we will be working with the city of Arlington to explore possible civil enforcement and take civil enforcement against Chicas Locas,” Muslimovic said. “I want to echo this is something we could not have done alone.”
The victims are adults, ranging anywhere from 21 years old to late 20s, from all different backgrounds, he said.
“That is very common that we see in human trafficking investigations,” Muslimovic said. “It’s a very diverse group of victimization that traffickers go after.”
Multiple agencies help to investigate trafficking
“What you heard today ... is an example of a strong collaborative effort to address human trafficking within our community, and that strong collaborative effort is the foundation of the Tarrant County Human Trafficking Task Force,” Commander Kevin Turner said.
The task force works to identify and recover victims of all forms of human trafficking, investigate and prosecute traffickers, and provide resources to the victims for their stabilization and restorative care, Turner said.
“This is happening every day within our community, and together we can address this heinous crime, because together, we can shine a light on the shadows of human trafficking, and together, we can be a force for change, hope and healing,” Turner said.
License suspension pending at strip club
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission agents regularly conduct long-term undercover investigations into suspected human trafficking, both independently and as part of a larger trafficking-focused Task Force, Lt. Wes Boyer said.
“Human trafficking is a grim reality that looks far too close to home,” Boyer said. An estimated 300,000 victims are affected in Texas alone, he said.
“We know that traffickers will exploit any opportunity to further their operations, including legitimate enterprises like bars and liquor stores, but we cannot succeed alone,” Boyer said. “Community involvement is paramount. I urge each and every one of y’all to be vigilant. Your awareness and engagement are powerful tools in this fight.”
Boyers said after observing violations at a club, TABC will issue a notice and then apply a penalty based on a penalty chart. The penalties can range from $300 per day to potential license termination.
“In this specific case, the penalty has not yet been determined, as the process is still ongoing,” Boyers said.
Rescue Hill, a North Texas nonprofit that works with survivors of sex trafficking as they “stabilize and rebuild their lives,” worked alongside law enforcement during these operations to make sure that survivors have what they need, said Amanda Pettit, founder and executive director.
“We believe that what happens after an operation is just as important as what happens during an operation,” Pettit said. “We are committed to helping survivors stabilize, navigate their next steps and begin the long, personal work of healing.”
The investigation is ongoing and additional charges and arrests are pending, Chief Jones said.
“We’re sending a strong message that we don’t tolerate human trafficking here in Tarrant County, and we’ll use every resource available to go after those who commit this heinous crime,” Jones said. “Our community members play a vital role in this, too, in solving these crimes. This all started because someone came forward with information.”
This story was originally published October 29, 2025 at 3:38 PM.