AUSTIN – Continuing its efforts to protect children from dangerous child predators, the Child Exploitation Unit (CEU) of the Texas attorney general’s office arrested four men in Gregg County for Online Solicitation of a Minor during a sting operation this week. The CEU collaborated with the Arlington Fugitive Apprehension Unit and the Longview Police Department on the operation. The suspects were all charged with a second-degree felony and booked into the Gregg County Jail without incident.
During the weeklong operation, CEU investigators conducted a proactive undercover investigation online. The four suspects were arrested after they arrived at a predetermined location to meet with children they solicited for sexual contact. Individuals arrested by CEU investigators during the joint operation are: Johnny K. Houston, Jr., Joaquin Amilcar Pineda, Shane Jeffrey Chapman and Nehemias Pineda.
The Texas Attorney General’s Office works to protect children by using the latest technology to track down some of the most profoundly evil predators online. The CEU proactively seeks out and arrests predators who commit crimes against children using technology and online sources. Attorney General Ken Paxton urges all parents and teachers to become aware of the risks our children face on the internet and take steps to help ensure their children’s safety. For more information on cyber safety, please visit: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cj/cyber-safety.