Nearly 250 Nabbed In Houston During 10-Day Prostitution Sting

HOUSTON, TX -- The City of Houston scored well during Super Bowl week, and so did local law enforcement agencies who pledged weeks in advance to take a bite out of crime.

During the 10 days leading up to Super Bowl 51, law enforcement agencies conducted a sting resulting in nearly 250 arrests related to prostitution.

Most of those arrested were either prostitutes or Johns, but there were a few notable arrests, included a retired Houston Police sergeant, an employee with the Houston Independent School District, two Houston firefighters, and one man who brought his 4-year old with him to buy sex.

Police said that 21 others who were directly connected to Super Bowl 51 activities were also arrested on prostitution charges.

While most of the activities were confined to Houston, other prostitution arrests were made outside of the city limits.

In one week, undercover investigators with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office arrested 32 on prostitution charges.

Three of those arrested had standing deportation orders from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, while several others were wanted on outstanding warrants, officials said.

In a statement released this week, Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said the operation was designed to suppress prostitution activity near daycare centers and schools in the area.

“The goal of these and similar police operations is to dampen and ultimately eliminate the blatant prostitution on the streets near our neighborhoods and business districts of Harris County, Precinct 4,” Herman said in a statement.

During a press conference last month, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner warned potential criminals, particularly those engaged in prostitution and human trafficking, that law enforcement agencies would be watching.

Turner said the city plans to make a concerted effort during the Super Bowl and beyond to thwart prostitution and human trafficking and online solicitation.

“We will continue to focus on planned execution over the next three years to make sure the city of Houston is the first to take actual steps to institutionalize an anti-trafficking response,” Turner said.

Aside from the prostitution-related arrests, 107 people were detained during the Super Bowl on other criminal charges.

Image/houstondwiphotos via Flickr

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