TEMPLE, Texas — A Bell County prostitution sting last week netted 10 arrests, eight of them for trafficking and agreeing to engage in a sex act for a fee, which is a class B misdemeanor.
Two of those arrested during the sting are active duty Fort Hood soldiers and another one, Jose Lopez-Medina, works for the Killeen Chamber of Commerce.
When 6 News reporter Bary Roy reached out to the chamber Monday afternoon regarding Lopez-Medina's arrest, a man answered the phone and said Lopez-Medina no longer works there and his employment was terminated.
“Certainly, these individuals are going to suffer their actions,” Sheriff Eddy Lange said.
Lange said it’s still shocking.
“It's not supposed to happen in your own backyard and yet when you do these operations, you know these are our friends, our neighbors, " he said. "You never know what's going on in your own hometown and this is proof of that.”
The Fort Hood soldiers arrested last week, SPC Deleon Romero, assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division and SPC Kaiem Dewalt, assigned to Headquarters Support Company, III Corps, have been released from jail. Their future with Fort Hood is up in the air.
“Allegations such as these are taken seriously as they run counter to Army values. As always, we are supportive of local authorities and will cooperate fully. Fort Hood will refrain from commenting further given that this is an ongoing investigation,” said Tom Rheinlander, director of Fort Hood public affairs.
10 arrested in Bell County prostitution sting
Lt. Michelle Cianci with the special crimes unit said the Bell County district attorney implemented an 8-hour training centered on respecting women and becoming educated on the elements of the offense.
“It’s part of the probation, their sentencing if you will, that is they attend this class,” she said, “Then they won’t have to spend up to 180 days in jail or be fined $2,000.”
Cianci said that in her experience of doing this most of the men are unaware that they’ve committed a crime because they didn't have sex or didn’t bring money with them. She said the crime was committed before they showed up.
“The offense committed is prostitution. We don’t have solicitation of prostitution in this state, it’s just prostitution,” Cianci said. “You don’t necessarily have to engage in a sexual act, if you agree to do so for a fee.”
In addition to the arrests, six women, likely victims of sex trafficking, were identified and given valuable resources by supporting organizations during the operations in Temple.
Michelle Biddick with Aware Central Texas has worked with victims of sex trafficking since her time in the military and believes that every opportunity like this is a real chance to make a connection.
“If we get out there and give the information, to us, that's a win,” she said. “Each time we get out there and help with law enforcement or help a victim, that's a win for us, that's a success so we're going to keep doing it over and over again.”
Biddick said she is unaware if any of the women counseled Saturday have contacted her office for additional help.
“Not to my knowledge, but we will be doing follow ups,” she said. “So, one of the things, even if we do not hear from those individuals, we're going to follow up and reach out to them to let them know that we're still there."
Lange said that any successful sting they conduct would net zero arrests but the hope is to change a life.
“You never know who you are talking to on the computer,” he said. “I point back to, is it worth it? If we can save one person, yes it is.”
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