42 charged with solicitation of prostitution in Lake Worth during 'Operation April Fools'
LAKE WORTH, Texas - Lake Worth Police arrested 42 people over the course of two-days earlier this month during a counter-human trafficking operation that they called ‘Operation April Fools’.
Undercover police officers posed as escorts and prostitutes online. When people who responded arrived in person to meet up with the fake escorts, they were arrested.
41 males and 1 female was arrested were charged with solicitation of prostitution. Some of the people arrested had warrants out for their arrest, including aggravated sexual assault of a child, solicitation of a minor and aggravated assault of a police officer.
2 convicted murderers were also arrested.
None of the people arrested lived in Lake Worth.
"Human trafficking is a problem everywhere, whether we can see it or not, and given our close proximity to the border here in Texas it is a bigger problem here than elsewhere in the country," said Lake Worth Police Chief J.T. Manoushagian.
The names, mugshots and charges for the arrestees were released after the news conference.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- 25 arrested in Dallas County human trafficking suppression operation
- 17 charged in Denton County prostitution sting, including UNT professor
- New details released about 46 arrested in prostitution sting, including Lewisville ISD coach, youth pastor
Several other local agencies recently held similar operations.
Chief Manoushagian says they will likely do similar stings in the future as well.
Solicitation of prostitution carries a maximum penalty of up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine.