Protecting our children: Sting operation busts men allegedly looking to meet kids online for sex

Pct. 4 authorities arrest suspected child predators in online sting

FOX 26 Reporter Damali Keith explains how authorities captured the suspects.

HOUSTON - Several accused predators have been arrested following a sting operation.

It happened in North Harris County where a team of investigators are working to stop adults from connecting with kids online and meeting up with them for sex.

This task force, led by Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman's Office, had deputies and officers on social media sites and all over the internet posing as teenagers.

We're told several men were chatting with who they thought were kids and then tried to meet them for sex.

"My office has headed up an Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force online where we basically go after the demand side of trying to solicit teens over the internet. We worked with ten other law enforcement agencies to basically put undercover detectives online patrolling the internet. These investigators were playing the role of teens," says Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman.

Before you know it, Herman says the men who had been behind the screen were soon behind the wheel.

Get news, weather and so much more on the new FOX LOCAL app

He says one man thought he was heading to meet, "a 13-year-old," but instead of a little girl or boy, the accused predators came face-to-face with who they'd really been chatting with online: deputy constables, HPD officers, Harris County Sheriff's deputies, state troopers, Klein ISD police or someone from one of the ten agencies taking part in the takedown.

"We arrested three individuals who literally had interactions over the Internet with these undercover officers and literally came to the apartment complex where they were to meet up with the teen. But in fact, they ended up meeting law enforcement. They're out there intentionally and knowingly patrolling the Internet looking for innocent kids to have sexual relations with," Herman said.

45-year-old Javier Vega, 31-year-old Steven Alejandro, and 23-year-old Nicholas Moran were all charged with online solicitation of a minor.

For kids who might be online, and they believe they're meeting another teenager on the Internet, remember it could actually be a violent adult criminal on the other end of that computer.

"That's correct. In this case, we clearly saved three kids, but we feel there are more out there. Our investigations will continue. You may think you're talking to a kid, but there's a high probability you'll be talking to a law enforcement officer, and we will arrest you," Herman explained.

Herman says, "parental involvement is the best safety feature." The constable is encouraging dads and moms to make sure they know who their kids are talking with, what apps children are using, and if their kids physically know the people they're communicating with online.