Sex Trade Crackdown, Houston PD Arrests 139 'Johns' (Mug Shots Included)

HOUSTON, TX — Sex sells. And for 139 men recently trying to buy it on Westeheimer Road, they got arrested and publicly humiliated by the Houston Police Department. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo held a press conference Thursday morning not only talking about the bust over a 10-day period, but he had the photos of all 139 "Johns" displayed on the wall for everyone to see.

Among the men were an undercover Houston police officer, two attorneys, a Homeland Security employee working with FEMA, the owner of Glamour Girls Cabaret and a Sugarland animal technician.

"These 139 individuals are part of the reason the sex trade continues to be alive here in Houston. They help promote an industry that victimizes our children," Acevedo defiantly said. "These are people that should be ashamed of themselves, and that their family should hold them accountable and get them help if that's what they need, and stop them from engaging in this kind of conduct.

The sting is part of an overall attempt at curbing and eliminating human sex trafficking, which has been a major problem in Houston. Acevedo emphasized to beware when going into clubs, massage parlors or other seedy places to take precaution, and that he urges citizens to refer to today's public humiliation as a reminder of what can happen.

"We hope again this serve as a warning for the next time you go into a club, the next time you go somewhere trying to take advantage of a woman, that you might be going right into a Houston Police Department trap," Acevedo said.

Here's a link to all mugshots in Operation H-Star, and this is the breakdown of the 139 males by race:

• 70% White
• 11% Black
• 9% Asian
• 5% Hispanic
• 3% American Indian

Acevedo said the sting is a part of a two-pronged system. One, obviously is to nab the males seeking to purchase sex. The other is to protect the women and children subject to prostitution.

"We want to help restore their lives get them the freedom they deserve," Acevedo said.

The sting was set up at 11316 Westheimer Rd, which was the former massage parlor 7 Star Spa, which got busted so many times it shut down. The building was vacant, and the tenant worked with HPD to set up the mythical 8 Stat Spa.

Angela Merritt of the Houston Vice Division said buyers, or "Johns," responded to fictitious ads, they were walk-ins or had prior knowledge of the former business.

"Buyers were greeted by an undercover officer and escorted to a room," Merritt said. They were greeted by someone in the room, a dialogue was created and the buyer would then agree to purchase sex. That's when the arrest took place.

The most arrests in one day was 32, Acevedo said. He added that most of the men arrested were between ages 30-50. Acevedo said the men typically paid $60 to enter and get a massage, and that the "masseuse" would offer sex acts for an extra $120.

Acevedo said 60 percent of prostitution arrests happen on the streets of Houston. Illicit massage establishments and spas account for about 11 percent while brothels, modeling studios, escort services, taxi bikini clubs and bars and sexually-oriented clubs and motels account for roughly 30 percent of prostitution arrests. The chief said the internet serves as the main platform to kickstart meetings with most prostitutes.

Because of the underground nature of the illicit and commercial sex industry, Acevedo said HPD Vice Division partnered with Children at Risk to develop online tools to help analyze when, where, how and why such "Johns" seek to buy sex.

"This technological tool showed us that out of all the major cities in the U.S., Houston has the highest concentration of illicit massage establishment," Acevedo said.

He went on to say that at any given time, Houston can have anywhere from 250-520 illicit massage establishments. The women who work in the massage parlors are both U.S. citizens and non-citizens, he said, and that most of them have "no other option for survival."

"The women are often coerced and forced to work under deplorable conditions ... the conditions are horrific. The women are often coerced and forced to have sex with 15-30 sex buyers a day," Acevedo said. "Think about that. And think about these fools (Acevedo pointing at the 130 mugshots on the wall) here and what they're bringing home to their own families."

Acevedo said he knew of sex trafficking concerns when he took over the position of police chief in late 2016, and he reemphasized a potential growing problem last month in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

"I’d like to stand here and declare victory," Acevedo said. "This is one step in long journey to bring women and children out of the sex industry. "If it stops one person from making a poor decision and putting their family at risk, and putting women at risk and children, if it deters one person it’s worth the effort."

Photo courtesy of Houston Police Department