It keeps going and going and going…the controversial online solicitation / attempted sexual assault sting operation happening in Fort Bend County, Texas
I handle a lot of offenses involving child sex crimes and computer crimes, such as online solicitation of a minor or child pornography. But in my over 25 years of defending these types of cases, I have never seen anything like the ongoing sting operation in Fort Bend, Texas.
It’s like the Energizer Bunny–it keeps going and going and going…
Throughout the past several months–and continuing today as I write this–Fort Bend police are reportedly running an undercover operation where an officer, posing as an 18 or 19-year-old (and at other times as a minor), tries to ensnare someone–usually a male in his 20s–to go to her residence and engage in some sexual behavior. When the guy goes and pulls up in his car, he is arrested.
I have received dozens of calls from families of those who’ve been arrested, and am representing several defendants there. The sting has not been publicized for obvious reasons–why would the State want to let the cat out of the bag?
What is unusual, aside from this seemingly interminable dragnet, is that the State is charging defendants with not only online solicitation of a child, but the flip side of the coin–attempted sexual assault of a minor. This lets the State double-dip on charges, jack up bonds, and try to coerce pleas (“If your client doesn’t plead today to one count, we won’t waive a judge and will go to the jury on both charges!”). The bond conditions are oppressive even for a case of this nature.
On the upside, my investigation raises real questions about whether this sting is legal.
Was the defendant entrapped? If so, valid defenses may apply. Does the defendant really believe the undercover cop, who he thinks is a female, is truly a minor given the cop’s inconsistent representations about age? Did the defendant really intend to engage in sexual misconduct, or did he go over there out of curiosity?
And of course, there are always issues about the voluntariness of a defendant’s statement. Did police give him Miranda warnings before questioning him when he was in custody?
Here at the Neal Davis Law Firm, we regularly handle child sex crimes, online solicitation of a minor, and other sex offense charges in Harris County, Fort Bend County, and across the state of Texas. If you believe your rights have been violated, contact us immediately about expert representation. We’ve been successfully defending our clients for over 25 years. Schedule your consultation today.