Human trafficking arrests made in North Texas recently, but few details released about suspects
In recent weeks and months, federal authorities have announced a series of human trafficking busts netting dozens of arrests.
But they haven't publicly released any details about the people they've arrested.
Federal investigators are working to crack down on human sex trafficking in North Texas.
They’re getting results, but key details are being kept from the public.
On January 12, Homeland Security investigations teamed up with North Texas law enforcement agencies to arrest 53 people who reportedly attempted to pay for sex, which is a felony in Texas.
53 arrested in North Texas human trafficking sting
A recent human trafficking sting in North Texas led to the arrest of 53 people.
Last September, Homeland Security arrested 134 people during a similar sting operation at North Texas hotels.
"And we know that you can be trafficked without ever leaving your neighborhood or your zip code," said Bianca Davis, CEO of New Friends New Life.
New Friends New Life works to help sex trafficking victims.
"The buyers who participate in this crime and that fuel, the demand, are everyday people, mainly men," Davis explained.
For unknown reasons, Homeland Security is not releasing the names of those arrested during these sting operations.
FOX 4 reached out to criminologist Alex Del Carmen for his take.
"If it’s not going to compromise your operation, let the public know about it. If it’s not going to compromise the prosecution, let the public know about it," Del Carmen said. "And the reason for that is the public deserves to know."
Following Homeland Security’s sting in September, it said the arrests included, "two confirmed human traffickers; a nurse at a major medical network in Dallas; four individuals with access to the secure area of DFW Airport; four non-citizens with final orders of removal; one pending hire with a major city police department; and one prominent DFW city employee."
134 arrested in DFW-area sex sting, including 'one prominent DFW city employee', feds say
134 people across Dallas-Fort Worth were arrested as part a Homeland Security sting looking to find those paying for sex.
A spokesman told FOX4, "We have no intention of releasing those names," and they said the same thing after the arrests in January.
Last January, Homeland Security released names of dozens of people it arrested during sting operations in Frisco and Southlake. It’s unclear what changed.
"There are an estimated 313,000 victims of human trafficking in the state of Texas," Davis said.
Davis said it’s important to remember that these sting operations are working.
"And any day that we can take a buyer or a trafficker off the street or enact those consequences, it’s a good day in the fight against sex trafficking," Davis added.
January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
Click here for more information if you or someone you know is a victim and needs assistance.
For immediate assistance, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. You can reach the Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in more than 200 languages. All calls are confidential and answered live by highly trained Anti-Trafficking Hotline Advocates.