It was a sting conducted by a joint law enforcement task force that busted a major a prostitution ring in North Texas, with more than 130 people arrested.
The five-day, multiagency operation ran from Sept. 11 through Sept. 15. It included partners from 15 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies across four cities in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex to address the growing demand for human trafficking and commercial sex in the area. In all, 134 individuals were arrested including two suspected human traffickers.
Dexter Hanson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement says those busted cover all the demographics.
According to a news release, some of those arrested include a nurse, four people with access to the secure area of DFW airport, four noncitizens with final orders of removal, someone who is a pending hire at a police department, and "one prominent DFW city employee."
“Sex trafficking, and human trafficking as a whole, is one of the fastest growing criminal enterprises in the U.S. Human trafficking organizations often target minors and other marginalized populations because of their vulnerabilities,” said HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Lester R. Hayes Jr. “Potential customers who seek commercial sex are often as culpable as those who levy violence to keep their victims entrapped.”
Texas is the first state in the country to prosecute sexual solicitation as a felony, which is a substantial step toward curbing the demand for commercial sex. The names of the suspects have not yet been released.
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