DALLAS, TX - A coordinated investigation stemming from a national cyber tip has led to the arrests of a Houston County Sheriff's Office Deputy and a Gladewater Police Officer, both charged with severe crimes related to the sexual assault of a child.
Authorities confirmed that the two suspects, 34-year-old Skylar Douglas Laza, a former Houston County Deputy, and 29-year-old Kenan Robert Laza, a former Gladewater Police Officer, were identified after an investigation determined both men allegedly sexually assaulted a child multiple times. The suspects and victim are known to one another.
The Investigation and Arrests
The case began on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, when the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force received a cyber tip through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Dallas Police detectives assigned to the ICAC Task Force immediately launched an investigation, identifying the two law enforcement personnel as suspects.
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Skylar Laza was the first to be taken into custody on November 5 in Palestine, Texas. He was immediately charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, a first-degree felony. The following day, November 6, Laza was federally indicted for Production of Child Pornography. He was swiftly terminated from the Houston County Sheriff's Office and is being held on a $1 million bond.
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Kenan Laza was arrested on November 6 in Longview, Texas. He was charged with Indecency with a Child Exposure, a third-degree felony. The Gladewater Police Department confirmed he was terminated following his arrest. The U.S. Marshals Service Eastern District of Texas was involved in his apprehension.
Departments Express Shock and Cooperation
Both the Houston County Sheriff's Office and the Gladewater Police Department have released statements expressing deep disturbance over the allegations and confirmed their full cooperation with the investigating agencies.
Gladewater Police Chief Kyle Ready stated in a press release that the allegations presented are "deeply disturbing and have shocked this department to its core," adding, "It is unthinkable that an individual entrusted with protecting our community could commit such a horrific act.”
The investigation, documented under case number 159498- 2025, remains ongoing as state and federal authorities continue to gather evidence.
