Fort Hood soldiers among suspects busted in child prostitution sting, Texas cops say
A pair of Fort Hood soldiers were among those arrested Saturday at the conclusion of a two-day child prostitution sting, the Killeen Police Department announced Monday.
The nine men arrested also included a third U.S. service member, local authorities said. It’s unclear which branch he’s affiliated with.
“During this operation nine suspects, three of whom are military, contacted officers through various social media platforms and made agreements for sexual acts with girls they believed were 15 or 16 years of age,” authorities said in a news release, adding that the agreements were made in exchange for drugs, money and/or alcohol.
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Officers arrested the suspects without incident, police said. Their names and charges are as follows:
“Anthony Xavier Antwon, 25, of Fort Hood, Felony Prostitution under 18
Javier Perez, 40, of Austin, Felony Prostitution under 18
Brian Harley Flynn, 21, of Temple, Felony Prostitution under 18
Brandon Anthony Lee, 25, of Killeen, Felony Prostitution under 18
Dustin Edward Johnson, 42, of Lott, Felony Prostitution under 18
Timmy Jones Jr., 30, of Fort Hood, Felony Prostitution under 18
Shaun Paul Moore, 39, of Kempner, Felony Prostitution under 18
Rakeem Jamal Nelson, 28, of Killeen, Class A Prostitution
Pierre Jean, 32, of Killeen, Class A Prostitution”
Two guns were also confiscated in the operation, according to police.
The sting was a joint effort between the Killeen PD Special Victims Unit and the Texas Department of Public Safety Human Trafficking Program with the goal of locating and arresting those who were “willing to make overt efforts to pay minors to engage in sexual acts.”
Fort Hood officials addressed the incident in a statement sent to McClatchy News on Tuesday.
“Actions such as what these individuals have been charged with are not in keeping with Army values,” said Tom Rheinlander, Director of Public Affairs for the military base.
Officials identified Spc. Anthony Xavier Antwon as a motor transport operator assigned to the 4th Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment; and Pfc. Timmy Jones Jr. as a combat engineer assigned to the 87th Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, according to the statement.
Fort Hood, a U.S. Army based founded in 1942, is located about 70 miles north of Austin and is one of the biggest military bases in the world.
