Seven Indians, including 5 Telugu men, arrested in US sting operation on prostitution

Operation designed to suppress prostitution in Denton County by arresting individuals who attempted to purchase sexual favours for money

Hyderabad: Seven Indians, including five Telugu men, were among 18 men arrested by the Denton County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, US, on various charges in a prostitution suppression sting operation, according to a news release.

According to Denton County Sheriff Tracy Murphee’s statement, the operation was designed to suppress prostitution in Denton County by arresting individuals who attempted to purchase sexual favours for money. The Highland Village Police Department assisted the Sheriff’s Office in the operation.

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“Two Denton men were charged with evading arrest or detention. Six others from Denton were charged with solicitation of prostitution. Seven men from other cities also received the same charge, including one from Corinth. A Denton man was charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 and evading arrest or detention. A man from Bowie was charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 and unlawful carrying of a weapon. A man from Justin was charged with solicitation of prostitution and unlawful carrying of a weapon,” the press release stated.

Solicitation of prostitution is a state jail felony, while solicitation of prostitution of a person under 18 years old is a second-degree felony, it said, adding that evading arrest or detention and unlawful carrying of a weapon were both ‘Class A misdemeanours’.

“The operation led the Sheriff’s Office to develop leads on other individuals allegedly engaging in prostitution and the office’s Human Trafficking Unit is following up on those leads,” it added.

According to the press release, the Indians arrested were Bandi Nikhil (Evading arrest detention), Galla Monish (Solicitation of prostitution), Amit Kumar (Solicitation of prostitution), Kummari Nikhil (Evading arrest detention), Mekala Jaikiran Reddy (Solicitation of prostitution under 18, Evading arrest detention), Rayapati Karthik (Solicitation of prostitution) and Nabin Shrestha (Solicitation of prostitution).

The operation was carried out on August 14 and 15, with 14 of those arrested on charges of solicitation of prostitution, while two arrested on charges of solicitation of prostitution under 18. Two persons were also arrested on additional charges of unlawful carrying of a weapon, while three were arrested on charges of evading arrest detention.