The Fort Worth Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, in cooperation with undercover agents from local, state, and federal agencies, recently conducted a three day long Online Solicitation Sting Operation.
These agencies accessed several online platforms to establish communication with potential targets who were actively seeking to engage in sexual conduct with children under the age of 17.
This release is intended to inform the public of the number of individuals arrested for attempting to solicit underage children online and the consequences that go with these actions.
All individuals were charged with one or more counts of Online Solicitation of a Minor, which is a third degree felony in the State of Texas.
This operation consisted of the following agencies:
- Fort Worth Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Unit
- Fort Worth Police Department Crimes Against Children Unit
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office
- Haltom City Police Department
- North Richland Hills Police Department
- Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- US Secret Service
- INTEX, North Texas Fusion Center
- Directed Response Unit (FWPD)
- Intelligence Unit (FWPD)
- Real-Time Crime Center (FWPD)
- Electronic Surveillance Unit (FWPD)
Arrests
Daniel Alford - 42 years old - Fort Worth TX
Alford is a registered sex offender with a prior conviction for Indecency with a Child. He showed up to meet with what he believed to be a 15-year-old for the purposes of sex. In addition, during the same time period, he spoke sexually with law enforcement who he believed to be a 16-year-old. Two separate cases were filed for the suspect and his parole was revoked.
Joshua Whitefield - 23 years old - Fort Worth TX
Whitefield showed up to meet with what he believed to be a 16-year-old female for the purposes of having sex. He is currently on probation for a 2022 Fort Worth robbery case.
Jimmy Johns - 52 years old - Fort Worth TX
Johns showed up to meet with what he believed to be a 16-year-old female for the purposes of having sex.
Kristofer Kane - 23 years old - Richland Hills TX
Kane showed up to meet with what he believed to be a 16-year-old female for the purposes of having sex.
Joshua Blackmon - 31 years old - Aubrey TX
Blackmon showed up to meet with what he believed to be a 16-year-old female for the purposes of having sex.
Kautik Patel - 33 years old - Cleburne TX
Patel showed up to meet with what he believed to be a 15-year-old female for the purposes of having sex.
Jonathan Bailey - 26 years old - Garland TX
Bailey communicated with what he believed to be a 16-year-old female and drove from Garland to have sex with her.
Christopher Upton - 29 years old - Fort Worth TX (Arrested by Haltom City PD)
Upton showed up to meet with what he believed to be a 16-year-old female for the purposes of having sex.
Lyle Campbell-Gergen, 34 years old - North Richland Hills TX (Arrested by TX DPS)
Campbell-Gergen showed up to meet with what he believed to be a 15-year-old female for the purposes of having sex.
Aaurje Henderson, 19 years old - Bedford TX (Arrested by Tarrant County Sheriff's Office)
Henderson showed up to meet with what he believed to be a 15-year-old female for the purposes of having sex.
Brian Swift, 55 years old - Lewisville TX (Arrested by NRH PD)
Swift talked sexually online with the intent to meet with what he believed to be a 16-year-old female including sending explicit images of himself.
