On June 21, Houston police, deputies and investigators arrested 16 people an online sting operation they called “Operation Broken Heart.”
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13 of the 16 men were charged with attempting to have sex with a child they met online. Their ages ranged from 19 all the way to 66 years old.
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One of the men arrested was already a convicted sex offender.
Three were charged with possession, promotion or distribution of child pornography, crimes which carry state and federal charges.
Those arrested face second and third degree felony charges and prison sentences carrying a maximum of 10-20 years.
Officers used social media to strike up a rapport with the criminals, setting up fake meetings with them in public places under the guise of children.
The operation took place over the course of two months and was carried out by the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce.
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Officers from Sugar Land, Fort Bend, Katy and other areas all across Houston cooperated as part of the sting, according to a departmental press release.
Mugshots of the men can be viewed on KHOU’s website.