Youth pastor, coach among 46 arrested in Texas sex trafficking sting
In Frisco, two hotels were used for the undercover operation by the Department of Homeland Security. The undercover officers placed ads that blended in with countless others found online, according to CBS News. The men looking to pay for sex responded to the ads, arrived at the hotels in Frisco and Southlake, and were greeted by police officers waiting for them.
“We had a high school teacher, who is also a football coach, we had a youth pastor,” said John Perez with Homeland Security Investigations. “We had a volunteer firefighter, a director of operations of one of the largest medical systems here in the metroplex. We also had a semi-pro hockey player.”
Perez added that this sting operation proves that sex trafficking is prevalent everywhere. He said people have this “misconception” that sex trafficking only occurs in certain parts of Dallas. However, Perez said, “In reality, it’s not. It’s all over the metroplex.”
The names of the suspects were not released by federal authorities.
Anyone who is or who knows a potential victim in this, or any other case of sex trafficking or human trafficking or has any information regarding this or any other investigation can contact Homeland Security Investigations Toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423.
