HOUSTON, Texas – A former Houston Police Department officer who is on probation for theft by a public servant and eleven other men were busted in a prostitution sting carried out by deputy constables from the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.

“We had received complaints from residents in the area of Cypresswood Drive near Interstate 45 about prostitutes working in the area,” Constable Mark Herman told Breitbart Texas in an interview on Friday. “This area is very close to Spring High School so we became concerned about their safety.”

Herman said they placed female undercover deputies from his department along with Precinct 1 deputies to conduct the sting operation. As a result, 12 “Johns” were arrested over a three-day period that ended on Wednesday.

Focusing on the demand side of prostitution is helpful in reducing incidents of prostitution, the constable said.

In a written statement obtained by Breitbart Texas, Constable Herman said:

Undercover investigators posing as street prostitutes were able to make criminal cases on several males “johns” trying to purchase sex or sex related acts. Focusing law enforcement resources on sex buyers reduces demand for prostitution, which strangles the sex industry and more importantly curbs human trafficking. The male sex buyers are all different ages, races and come from all walks of life.

One of the “Johns” arrested had his four-year-old daughter in the car with him while he was attempting to buy sexual services from the undercover officer, Herman said. “The businesses and citizens of north Harris County have made it clear that they refuse to just stand by and allow their communities to deteriorate to the point where street level prostitution is looked upon as a normal part of our local society.”

One of the individuals arrested turned out to be a former Houston police officer. This was not his first time to be caught on the wrong side of the law. The Houston Police Department told ABC13 in Houston that Matthias Elian Dornellien, 30, is currently on probation for his felony conviction on a charge of theft by a public servant. The fired officer was discovered taking money from a driver he had pulled over. His sentence for that case was a five-year prison term for which he was put on probation. He has now been arrested and is in the Harris County jail pending a $5,000 bond, court record obtained by Breitbart Texas revealed. He is scheduled for an arraignment on February 18.

“These types of illegal activities seem to attract other bad elements such as drug dealers and users, thieves and others who would prey upon our local residents,” Constable Herman said. “It will not be overlooked, tolerated or condoned within our local communities where we live and raise our children.”

Others arrested include:

Christopher Cigar, 21, $5,000 bond

Marquis A. Banks, 34, $1,000 bond

Vladimir Andres Cuervo-Castillo, 37, $1,000 bond

Alejandro Arenas Puebla, 38, $1,000 bond

Diego Lazalde Hernandez, 42, $1,000 bond

Manuel Arenas Puebla, 46, $1,000 bond

Rufus Mackey, 49, $1,000 bond

Gregory Mark Cater, 48, $5,000 bond

Todd Michael Margolen, 50, $1,500 bond

Jeffrey Scott Sciba, 26, $2500 bond

Donald Bruce Austin, 55, $5000 bond

Bob Price is a senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.