Operation Traveling Circus nets 136 arrests for sex trafficking, forced prostitution

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – A sex trafficking sting has led to the arrests of 138 people in Harris County.

The Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff's Office, Harris County District Attorney's Office and the Houston Chapter of the YMCA launched "Operation Traveling Circus," an initiative targeting sex trafficking and prostitution in the area. 

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[PHOTOS: Sex trafficking arrests]

From Jan. 4 through Feb. 26, vice task forces from the various agencies engaged in a multi-faceted operation to identify victims of sex trafficking and forced prostitution, arrest the consumer base of 'johns' and weed out traffickers who capitalize on the illicit sex industry in our community.

Operations were conducted at the following locations:

  • 4300 to 5200 Telephone Road
  • 6200 to 6400 Richmond
  • 4700 to 5500 Westheimer
  • 3200 to 6000 Hillcroft
  • 7600 Katy Freeway
  • 8800 to 9800 Airport Blvd.  
  • 9400 to 10000 Bissonnet
  • 4000 to 4100 Airline
  • 500 West Sam Houston Parkway East
  • 3200 West Sam Houston Parkway South
  • 500 Lamar
  • 2800 to 7000 Southwest Freeway
  • 4400 Yellowstone
  • 8300 Gulf Freeway
  • 2500 to 8900 Briarpark Drive
  • 9600 to 9700 Plainfield

Service providers like the YMCA step in to provide prevention and recovery resources to victims.