HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — More than a dozen men were arrested on felony charges in a weeks-long undercover prostitution operation, according to the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.
Constable Mark Herman said that as a part of the operation, undercover deputies were sent to massage parlors and other operations and were solicited for sex. He said female deputies also went undercover posing as prostitutes in areas where they’ve gotten complaints.
“The message is, you know, you see a female out on the streets and you proposition her, you might want to think twice,” Herman said. “It might be an undercover police officer, don’t do it.”
According to the constable, the operation resulted in the arrest of 20 men for solicitation of prostitution, a felony in Texas. He said the suspects range in age from late teens to late 50s.
Many of the men were also wanted on previous criminal warrants, according to the constable. At a Friday news conference, Herman said one of the men had 14 warrants out for his arrest.
“Prostitution is one of the prime driving factors behind human trafficking,” Herman said.
Herman said the men face felony charges due to new penalties introduced by the Texas Legislature last legislative session.
“With the new felony penalties the demand for paid sex will be reduced,” he said.
According to Herman, his office’s new drones are helping make arrests. At the news conference, he said drones captured one of the arrests on video.
“You’ll be able to actually see us arresting that individual that tried to leave the scene after we started to arrest him,” Herman said.