COMAL COUNTY, Texas -- The Air Force Office of Special Investigations Det. 402 and Det. 404 joined local, state and federal law enforcement partners during a three-day human trafficking enforcement operation in Central Texas July 28-30, leading to six victims being rescued and multiple arrests.
Led by the Comal County Sheriff’s Office, Operation Rolling Thunder 4 included personnel from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and AFOSI.
Investigators used undercover online communications, coordinated surveillance and enforcement teams to identify potential trafficking victims, locate suspected offenders and develop criminal cases.
According to officials, 157 individuals responded to online advertisements associated with the operation.
Investigators rescued six human trafficking victims and arrested six people for solicitation of prostitution. Another individual was arrested on two controlled substance possession charges.
“Operation Rolling Thunder 4 is a direct result of the tenacity and dedication of our investigators,” Comal County Sheriff Mark Reynolds said in a statement. “Human trafficking cannot be stopped by one agency alone. It takes strong partnerships.”
Reynolds said the operation reflects the sheriff’s office’s continued commitment to identifying and apprehending individuals involved in criminal activity while protecting the citizens of Comal County.
According to Special Agent Tracy Jones, AFOSI Det. 404 Special Agent in Charge, the agency’s participation in Operation Rolling Thunder 4 reflects the importance of cooperation among military, federal, state and local law enforcement organizations when investigating human trafficking and associated criminal activity.
“Partnerships like those demonstrated during Rolling Thunder 4 strengthen our collective ability to identify victims, pursue offenders and confront criminal activity that crosses jurisdictional boundaries,” Jones said.
The operation is part of a broader effort among participating agencies to identify and assist trafficking victims, disrupt criminal activity and hold suspected offenders accountable.
Editor’s note: All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.