Five people were arrested in a multi-agency operation that the Lubbock Police Department calls “Trick or Trap,” aimed at people seeking to exploit children online, according to a news release LPD issued Wednesday, Oct. 28.
The operation took place Friday, Oct. 23. Four of the five are charged with online solicitation of a minor, and one of those four also faces a possession charge. The fifth man is charged with solicitation of prostitution, which officials with the Lubbock Police Department say is a state jail felony. Charges are accusations, and everyone is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Who was arrested
LPD listed the following people and charges:
- Troy Dean Lindsey, 64: online solicitation of a minor
- Michael Xavier Ross, 30: online solicitation of a minor
- Daniel Lee Boutain, 61: online solicitation of a minor and possession of a controlled substance
- Salvador Sosa Aguirre, 48: online solicitation of a minor
- William Simonton, 31: solicitation of prostitution
Why the release says four
The release’s headline says four people face felony charges, while its list names five. Officials with the Lubbock Police Department said the count of four refers to the online solicitation of a minor cases.
“The count is four – the focus is on the arrestees who were charged with Online Solicitation of a Minor, which is why the first arrestee, William Simonton’s information is labeled as such in the attached PDF,” LPD officials said.
Simonton’s charge is also a felony, but of a lesser degree. Officials said his exact charge is solicitation of prostitution, and that “in the State of Texas, a State Jail Felony, which is what ‘Solicitation of Prostitution’ is categorized as, is a lesser degree than a First, Second, or Third-Degree Felony.” They added that “time served for a State Jail Felony is served in a jail as opposed to a prison.”
The release worded the charge as “Online Solicitation of a Prostitution.” The jail roster lists it as “Solicit Prost/Other Payor,” officials said.
LPD did not release booking numbers, bond amounts or custody status. Readers can look up those booked into the county jail on the Lubbock County Jail Roster, which is listed under the Sheriff’s Office on the county’s website.
A multi-agency effort
According to LPD, the operation was a combined effort among the department’s Special Operations Unit and Crimes Against Children Unit, the Texas Anti-Gang Center Human Trafficking Unit, the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office and the Collin County Sheriff’s Office.
“The objective focused on disrupting demand for child sexual exploitation and identifying individuals seeking to exploit children through online solicitation across the South Plains and beyond,” the release states.
LPD said the operation was organized “in response to an increase of suspected predators across the Lubbock area, including cases in which children were targeted through social media and transported to Lubbock.”
Asked for more about those cases, officials declined to elaborate. “Due to the sensitivity of the cases, and to protect the integrity of the investigation, all we can say at this time is what we’ve already said in the release,” LPD officials said.
“Protecting children from exploitation remains a priority for the Lubbock Police Department,” the release says. The department added that it “remains committed to identifying offenders, holding them accountable, and protecting vulnerable children from exploitation” through its work with local, state and federal partners.
For parents
Lubbock Police Department officials shared this advice for families:
“The Lubbock Police Department encourages parents and guardians to stay engaged in their children’s lives and be aware of what is on any electronic device and who their child may be talking to. It’s also important to note any change in behavior. Specifically, if a child is becoming disengaged, withdrawn, or secretive when it comes to those electronic devices. If a parent suspects their child may be a victim of sexual abuse, the first step is always to call their local law enforcement agency and make a report.”
As an additional resource, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children runs the CyberTipline, where anyone can report suspected online exploitation of a child.
