THE WOODLANDS, TX — A two-week operation aimed at eradicating sex trafficking and human trafficking in Montgomery netted 75 arrests within the last two weeks of October. The multi-jurisdictional task force dubbed Operation Cross County targeted areas near The Woodlands where authorities have received complaints of prostitution and activities related to sex trafficking.

Lt. Tim Cannon, who leads the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Organized Crime Unit, said the goal was to clean up those areas where human and sex trafficking is a problem, and work with volunteers and non-government organizations to identify trafficking victims and provide the needed services. "These concerns have been forced into out area because of the great work of law enforcement entities are doing in Harris County and the Houston area, and other counties," Cannon said.

Undercover officers posed as sex workers, and johns in some cases, and used technology to locate many of these sex and human traffickers. The Houston area, particularly areas near Spring and FM 1960 have long been havens for human and sex trafficking. Within the last five years alone, the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the various Harris County Constables Offices, the Houston Police Department and the Harris County Attorney's Office have worked collectively to combat human and sex trafficking, and have filed numerous nuisances cases against establishments that allow sex and human trafficking to occur.

"Many people who are in this industry who are forced into trafficking themselves...," Cannon said. "They are often brought into this life at an early age, and are seduced into this downward spiral." The operation led to the arrest of 32 johns, or those who looked to pay for sex. Those men were charged with a Class B Misdemeanor, with some facing additional charges. Police arrested 11 pimps, nine men and two woman, and charged with with compelling prostitution which is also a Class B Misdemeanor.

There were 28 women who were charged with prostitution with four of those facing additional narcotics or weapons charges. The crowning achievement, however, was the identification of five sex trafficking victims and a 16-year-old runaway, who will be going back home to her family. Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson said he as proud of the work of the multi-agency task force, and proud of the various partnerships that have been formed to combat human and sex trafficking in Montgomery County . "We've done some really great things, and one of them was putting together this sting operation," he said. "We are very proud of the john sting, and putting so many of those who came to buy the sex in jail."

Henderson said the interviews with the prostitutes helped identify those human trafficking victims, and there could still be others who have not yet come forward. "Although we netted 75 arrests, I think identifying the true victims of human trafficking is what made this entire incident worthwhile," he said. Henderson said he sees this as an issue that needs to be routinely dealt with until sex and human traffickers get the message, and he promised that this will not be the last operation of this kind for Montgomery County. "We are not going to put up with this type of activity," he said. "This is absolutely going to be addressed, and we are going to address it undercover so you won't even know it's coming. We want to thwart as much of this as possible." Tyler Dunman, who serves as the Special Crimes Bureau Chief for the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office, said his office was thankful for the amazing work of the investigators and organizations.

"Human trafficking is an issue here in Montgomery County," Dunman said. "We are looking forward to presenting those cases to a Montgomery County jury, and allowing the punishment to take place."