A joint law enforcement operation targeting online solicitation of minors was conducted Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
According to a community advisory from the Harris County Sheriff's Office
, the operation was conducted jointly by the sheriff's office, the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The sheriff's office is based in Houston under Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Texas Law Defines the Offense Broadly
Under Texas Penal Code Section 33.021, a person commits online solicitation of a minor when, over the internet or another electronic messaging system, they knowingly solicit a minor to meet another person with the intent that the minor engage in sexual contact, sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse with the actor or another person, according to the statute published by the Texas Legislature.
Other Recent Arrests in the Region
Two other men, Gerardo Galvan and Alfonso Garcia, were arrested in north Harris County after a separate joint undercover operation targeting online child predators, according to FOX 26 Houston. That operation was led by the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable's High Tech Crimes Unit and Special Operations Unit, with assistance from multiple agencies.
A Larger Statewide Crackdown
These local cases come amid a broader statewide enforcement push. A two-month operation known as Operation Soteria Shield, conducted from March through April 2026 and involving 91 law enforcement agencies and 197 personnel across Texas, led to the arrest of 276 suspects and the rescue of 89 children from online exploitation, according to FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth. Investigators in that operation targeted suspected child sexual abuse material offenses, online solicitation of minors, trafficking, sexual assault and other child exploitation crimes.
Separately, the Texas Attorney General's Child Exploitation Unit has reported 278 arrests for online solicitation of a minor resulting in 214 convictions, while the Attorney General's Human Trafficking Unit has reported 373 arrests and 126 convictions with several cases still pending, according to Texas Scorecard.
