Eleven people are facing criminal charges after an investigation by Fort Worth Police this summer. The department targeted people they suspected of trying to arrange meetings with children under the age of 17 for sex.
Operation Heatwave ran from August 7-9. Several other agencies contributed to the online sting operation including the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Homeland Security, and the FBI.
Most of the suspects were from Fort Worth, Arlington, Dallas or other cities in North Texas. One was from Brisbane, Australia.
“We want to send a clear message: we will not tolerate any attempt to harm our children. The Fort Worth Police Department, alongside our dedicated partners, will continue to use every resource at our disposal to target and bring these offenders to justice,” Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes said.