DALLAS (WBAP/KLIF News ) – A nurse at a major medical network in Dallas and one prominent DFW city employee are among 134 people arrested in commercial sex sting in North Texas.
The Homeland Security Investigations Dallas-led North Texas Trafficking Task Force announced the felony arrests on Wednesday.
Investigators said 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.
Although no identities of those arrested have been released, authorities said two are confirmed human traffickers; a nurse at a major medical network in Dallas; four individuals with access to the secure area of DFW airport; four noncitizens with final orders of removal; one pending hire with a major city police department; and one prominent DFW city employee.
Texas is the first state in the country to prosecute sexual solicitation as a felony after House Bill 1540 went into effect in 2021.
The feds credit this move in authorities ability to put help put a dent in the demand for commercial sex.
The operation also resulted in the seizure of marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine and firearms, all of which were turned over to state and local law enforcement agencies.
The law enforcement agencies that participated in the operation included HSI Dallas, the Arlington Police Department, the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Dallas Police Department, the Ellis County Sherriff’s Office, the Grayson County Sheriff’s Department, the Haltom City Police Department, the Lake Worth Police Department, the Midlothian Police Department, the Richland Hills Police Department, the Richardson Police Department, the Tarrant County Human Trafficking Task Force, the Texas National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected sex trafficking through its toll-free tip line at 866-347-2423. Investigators staff the tip line around the clock.
From outside the United States and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.
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