Bexar County deputies are searching for 37-year-old Christopher Forest Easton, accused of arranging to meet what he believed were two 14-year-old girls for sex. Investigators say the supposed teens were actually undercover agents, so the meeting never happened, but deputies report they gathered enough evidence to establish probable cause and obtain an arrest warrant.
Inside the investigation
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said the Human Exploitation Unit, working with the U.S. Secret Service, carried out the undercover operation and that Easton has worked as a security guard for churches and schools, jobs deputies say could have given him access to children. Salazar also warned that Easton may have left the area and could now be returning, and he urged the public not to confront him, according to News4SanAntonio.
Part of a wider undercover push
Deputies have been running similar online stings this spring. In May, the sheriff's office arrested a man after he allegedly traded explicit messages with what he thought was a teenage girl, an account that was actually controlled by investigators. The San Antonio Express-News reported that case and quoted Sheriff Javier Salazar describing the graphic nature of the messages deputies say were sent to the undercover profile.
How to report tips
Anyone with information about Easton's whereabouts is asked to call the Bexar County Sheriff's Office at 210-335-6000 or email [email protected]. Authorities say that while the people Easton is accused of contacting were undercover deputies, there may be real victims who have not come forward, and investigators are urging them to contact law enforcement, according to News4SanAntonio.
What the law says
Under Texas law, electronic solicitation of a minor is a crime. Penal Code §33.021 makes it illegal to use the internet or messaging systems to solicit a minor to meet for sexual activity, and the statute covers conversations with someone the suspect believes is younger than 17. Depending on the subsection and the alleged victim's age, punishment can range from two to 20 years in prison under state sentencing rules. For the precise language, see §33.021 in the Texas Statutes and the sentence ranges in Chapter 12 of the Texas Statutes.
