25 men charged in child solicitation cases
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Harris County District Attorney Devon Anderson says her office has filed 77 online solicitation of minor charges since the beginning of 2016 -- 25 just last week.
During a news conference at the Harris County Sheriff's Office on Friday, the identities and booking photos of those 25 men were released. These men are now within the walled confines of the Harris County jail, accused of using the internet to prey upon children for sex.
“One defendant was out on bond on related charges and arrived at the victim’s door, holding his two-year-old child," says Harris County Sheriff Ron Hickman. "Another was a licensed security officer, who identified himself online as a Fort Bend County police officer and arrived with condoms and alcoholic beverages."
Online solicitation of a minor is a second-degree felony. The woman responsible with seeking justice for the countless victims says these men preyed on some of the most vulnerable children.
“Some of the victims we learned about were bullied in school and were drawn to a stranger because somebody would listen to them," says District Attorney Anderson. She vows that prosecution would be swift but she is also making it clear that parents belong on the front lines in this ongoing fight against child predators.
- Harris County Sheriff's Office
- Harris County District Attorney's Officer
- Houston Police Department
- Katy ISD Police Department
- Deer Park Police Department
- Department of Homeland Security, Investigations
- Harris County Precinct 1 Constables Office
- Texas Attorney General's Office
- Waller County District Attorney's Office
- Webster Police Department
- Cypress Creek EMS