A federal grand jury indicted eight people accused of helping operate or profit from a North Texas sex trafficking conspiracy tied to the Paris Adult Book Store on Harry Hines Boulevard. Investigators say the operation exploited adults and minors for commercial sex.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould announced the charges Tuesday. All eight defendants face one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. Some also face counts involving force, fraud or coercion, sex trafficking of a minor, money laundering and federal firearms offenses.
Federal agents took six defendants into custody Friday, July 24, and recovered 21 firearms during the operation, officials said.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, federal and local authorities executed search warrants February 13 at the bookstore, located at 11118 Harry Hines Blvd., and at a Plano residence connected to the investigation.
Store accused of serving as trafficking hub
Prosecutors allege the front of the licensed sexually oriented business sold novelty items while locked hallways and rentable rooms in the back facilitated commercial sex acts and human trafficking.
“The front of the store did sell novelty items, but the back consisted of locked hallways and rentable rooms used to facilitate commercial sex acts and human trafficking,” Raybould said during the news conference.
The indictment alleges the conspiracy began around March 2020. Homeland Security Investigations described Operation Midnights at Paris as one of the longest-running commercial sex trafficking investigations in North Texas.
Eight defendants named
The defendants are Montre Lamont Mason, also known as “Trey” or “Unc”; Eileen Mason, also known as “Mama” or “Ma”; Trelynn Love Mason, also known as “NuNu”; Aaron Tyrone Betford; Larry Jones, also known as “Big Guy”; Krishenda Doss; Reginald Rose; and Antonio Dario Osorio-Avelar.
Montre Mason and Eileen Mason operated and managed the bookstore, according to information presented at the news conference. Trelynn Mason, Betford, Jones and Doss allegedly rented rooms and sold supplies to people engaged in commercial sex. Rose and Osorio-Avelar allegedly used the store as a trafficking hub, CBS Texas reported. Prosecutors accuse Rose of trafficking an adult and Osorio-Avelar of trafficking at least three minors.
Osorio-Avelar is already serving 375 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in a separate Southern District of Texas case involving the sex trafficking of a 16-year-old girl, the Justice Department said in 2024.
Officials identify dozens of victims
Pickard said investigators identified dozens of victims whose lives the alleged operation changed.
“Some survivors have begun the difficult journey toward healing,” Pickard said. “Others continue to carry the physical and emotional scars of their exploitation.”
Pickard said a commercial sex customer allegedly kidnapped an unidentified victim from the bookstore in 2024 and later “brutally murdered” her. A federal court convicted the customer in a separate case and sentenced him to life in prison, he said.
Dallas revokes business license
Dallas police revoked the store’s sexually oriented business license Tuesday morning, NBC 5 reported. The outlet observed customers entering and leaving the business Tuesday, and police said the store could remain open for at least 30 days while an appeal is filed.
HSI Dallas’ North Texas Trafficking Task Force led the investigation with assistance from IRS Criminal Investigation, the Dallas Police Department and other law enforcement agencies.
An indictment contains allegations, not proof of guilt. All eight defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Provided by Dallas Express
