The principal of Clements High School in Fort Bend ISD was arrested on charges of soliciting sex from a prostitute on Monday.
Brian Shillingburg, who has served as the principal at two Fort Bend ISD schools, was allegedly caught in an undercover sex trafficking sting conducted by the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office and the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance Taskforce. The undercover operation was called “Operation Naughty List,” and it resulted in the arrest of 16 people on charges of solicitation of prostitution.
An affidavit claims that Shillingburg met an undercover officer disguised as a prostitute at a Missouri City motel off Highway 6. They allegedly struck a deal for various sexual acts for the price of $90.
Fort Bend ISD issued a statement on December 12 explaining Shillingburg’s arrest and assuring parents that the district was “committed to ensuring there is no disruption to instruction and a smooth administrative transition,” according to KPRC 2. After posting a bond of $5,000, Shillingburg was released but has not commented publicly on his arrest.
In Dallas, prostitution and human trafficking offenses have skyrocketed. As of December 13, 51 human trafficking offenses had been logged for a year-over-year increase of 8.5%, and 563 prostitution offenses had been reported for a hike of 107.7%, according to the City’s crime analytics dashboard. Most of this crime has been clocked within Council Member Omar Narvaez’s District 6 in northwestern Dallas, as covered extensively by The Dallas Express.
The illicit sex trade has placed a strain on the Dallas Police Department, which currently fields fewer than 3,200 officers despite a City report previously calling for 4,000 to adequately serve Dallas citizens.
Sex trafficking victims have been mostly women and girls of color, according to the City of Dallas victim demographics dashboard. The median age of victims was 17 years old, with the youngest three victims reported as being 11 years old.
This summer, four suspects were arrested on charges of child sex trafficking involving an 11-year-old girl from Dallas, as previously reported in The Dallas Express. One of the accused, Gershon Caston, had been previously employed by Red Oaks ISD, Duncanville ISD, Irving ISD, and DeSoto ISD.
