12 Face Charges For Child Pornography, Sex Trafficking In Galveston Area

Local law enforcement officials working with federal investigators arrested 12 people in Brazoria, Wharton and Galveston counties on numerous sex trafficking and child pornotraphy charges.

The nine men and three women were arrested during a multi-jurisdictional round up, with many of those suspects in Brazoria County.

Investigators from the FBI, Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Houston Police Department were working in conjunction with officials from the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance, the Houston Chronicle reported.

Those arrested included:

• Joseph Church, 31, os Sweeney, TX
• Angela Marks, 23, of Sweeney, TX
• Jamaal Crane, 25, of Angleton, TX
• Norris Moon, 23, of Brazoria, TX
• Christopher Walton, of Brazoria, TX
• Ronnie Beasley, 19, of Rosharon, TX
• William Franklin, 18, of Wharton, TX
• Jamier Coleman, 20, of Wharton, TX (previously in state custody)
• Lurkesha Baugh, 35, of Wharton, TX (previously in state custody)
• Alisa Kimber, 24, of Freeport, TX (already in federal custody)
• Stephanie Walker, 35, of Houston, was arrested in Beaumont on Thursday.
• Eric Page, 19, was taken into custody on Wednesday in Sherman.

All 12 are accused of using sexually-orientated websites to lure and traffic minors as young as 16 into the commercial trade, and also face charges of conspiracy to traffic children for the purpose of commercialized sex, sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion

All 12 could face a possible sentence of life in prison, if convicted.

Additional charges of child pornography, using an interstate facility to promote sex trafficking and weapons charges could also be levied against some of the suspects in this case.

Read more at Chron.com

Image: Shutterstock

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