The McLennan County Sheriff's Office recently took part in a large scale sex trafficking operation from a days long sting in Waco, Texas. In total, this brief investigation in the month of June netted 17 arrests with the sole purpose of stopping human trafficking in Central Texas.

On Friday, July 7, 2023, Sheriff Parnell McNamara and members of the Human Trafficking Unit held a press conference to disclose the results of the online sex sting. According to McNamara,

We’re doing everything that we can to stop it. Can we stop it all? Absolutely not, but we’re going to stop all that we possibly can.
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According to this article with KXAN, 13 people of the arrested individuals now are facing charges of trying to purchase sex from an adult. Two others have been accused of attempting to pay for sex with a minor, while another couple of people have been charged with online solicitation of a minor.

One of the arrested suspects was apprehended in their home state Wisconsin, and are awaiting extradition to McLennan County. That person is identified as Joshua Dewitt from Tomahawk Wisconsin, and according to Sheriff McNamara has, "Victimized roughly 20 people nationwide."

What happens next for the Human Trafficking Unit?

Their detectives will continue to use catfishing accounts, and pose as young females online in hopes of casting a wider net, and apprehending even more would be predators. If you have any tips or leads for the team, you can contact the Sheriff's Office.

Read more in this article with KWTX.

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