Texas Department of Public Safety troopers arrested 11 men during a three-day operation targeting online sex solicitation in Bell County.
The Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division and Texas Highway Patrol teamed with the Army Criminal Investigation Division and Bell County District Attorney’s Office on the effort, which focused on suspects who held sexually explicit online conversations with people posing as 13-, 14-, 15-, and 16-year-olds.
Nine suspects face charges of solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years of age. Two others were charged with online solicitation of a minor. Four of those arrested are active-duty military members.
The suspects, booked into Bell County Jail, include:
- Hae-Yong Pae, 44, of Copperas Cove, charged with online solicitation of a minor;
- Xavier Alexander Barreto, 21, of Fort Hood, charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years of age;
- Ryan Lee Howard, 32, of Buda, charged with online solicitation of a minor;
- Joseph Andrew Paine, 37, of Temple, charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years of age;
- Christopher Matias, 27, of Fort Hood, charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years of age;
- Samsus Moise Perfection St. Loth, 40, of Killeen, charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years of age;
- Omar Katrell Cherry, 45, of Belton, charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years of age;
- Ramon Antonio Rivera-Colon, 37, of Belton, charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years of age;
- Dwayne Dion Sherman, 32, of Killeen, charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years of age;
- Shaun Keenan O’Hara, 38, of Gunnison, Colorado, charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years of age;
- Tyron Lydell Williams, 55, of Killeen, charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years of age.
The operation underscores collaboration among state, local, and federal agencies to fight human trafficking. Victims or those with information can reach the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888.
Suspicious activity can also be reported confidentially through iWatch Texas using its mobile app, online at www.iwatchtx.org, or by calling 1-844-643-2251.
