Prostitution sting results in 75 arrests
Woodlands area is targeted; five victims rescued
A sting operation in The Woodlands area targeting human trafficking and prostitution has resulted in 75 arrests and the recovery of five trafficking victims, including possibly a juvenile, authorities said Monday.
The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office released the details of Operation Cross County, which brought together local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to address the growing problem of human trafficking in Montgomery County. Several nongovernmental organizations were also involved in the operation.
According to sheriff ’s office Lt. Tim Cannon, the sting ran from Oct. 15 to Oct. 30. Undercover agents, Cannon added, posed as sex workers and potential customers, or Johns, using the Internet to
find individuals who were seeking sexual favors for money.
“It was created to actively oppress sexual exploitations and human trafficking in and around Montgomery County,” Cannon said. “We also focused on possible victims and an underage person who might have been involved as well. These concerns have been brought to light through law enforcement investigations and citizens’ complaints.
“Many persons in this illicit industry are forced into trafficking themselves by others through force, fraud or coercion,” he added.
Of the 75 arrests, Cannon said 32 were men, including 11 alleged pimps. He added that 28 were women, some of whom were found to be in possession of controlled substances and/or handguns.
‘Great opportunity’
Sheriff Rand Henderson said he was “so proud” of the work that was done. He said that when he took office in 2017, his department recognized different growing crime trends including human trafficking.
“This was a great opportunity,” Henderson said of working with other agencies.
Henderson said what has been traditionally known as prostitution has evolved into human trafficking, with many sex workers having been trafficked. That, he said, has changed how investigators operate stings.
One key aspect has been interviewing the sex workers after arrests to determine who forced them into prostitution.
“While we netted 75 arrests, I think identifying the true victims is what made this worthwhile,” Henderson said. “We are really proud of the work done and they deserve all the credit. We also want to send a message that we are not going to put up with kind of activity — not just in Montgomery County, but this entire region.”
Special Agent Lt. Theo Williams of the FBI field office in Houston encouraged residents to be watchful of suspicious activity.
“Your tips, your information is something that helps us out greatly,” he said. “We can’t do it without you. We need more public participation to help us fight human trafficking not only in Montgomery County and around the county.”
Suburban County issue
Houston Police Lt. Angela Merritt said it was important to bring justice to those rescued during the sting.
“It has been a pleasure and service to come together to defeat this problem,” she said. “This shows that human trafficking is not only prolific in the inner city but in surrounding counties as well.”
Tyler Dunman, special crimes bureau chief with the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, echoed Merritt that human trafficking is a serious issue in the suburban county and praised Henderson for organizing the sting.
“We are looking forward to presenting those cases to a Montgomery County jury and allowing punishment to take place at that time.
In addition to the Montgomery County sheriff’s and DA offices, agencies that took part in the operation included the Houston Police Department, the Conroe Police Department, Montgomery County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office, the state Department of Public Safety, the state Attorney General’s Office, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, and the federal Homeland Security and State departments.
The sting reflects a growing focus on human trafficking in the suburbs. Three years ago, Montgomery County authorities announced that four people were arrested and charged with human trafficking for allegedly luring Chinese women into prostitution, confining them and shuttling them around a dozen businesses and homes in Harris and Montgomery counties as part of an extensive organized crime ring.