MIDLAND, Texas — Eight men have been arrested on soliciting prostitution charges after an undercover operation caught them at a Midland hotel.
Gene Powell Jr., Austin Barnes, Ronnie Dixon, Chris Holmes, Felipe Lemus, Trey Luckey, Wilbert Ruiz and Alberto Solis were all charged with solicitation of prostitution and detained in the Midland County Jail.
Each man was given a $1,500 bond, and all the men involved have posted bond as of 5:00 a.m. on Oct. 20.
The operation was conducted by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Midland County Sheriff's Office, who placed an online advertisement to target those who solicit prostitutes.
It also looked to identify and arrest those who are suspected of being involved in human trafficking.
Mug shots of men arrested in human trafficking operation
Once a suspect responded to the ad, an undercover agent would set up a price and a meeting place to conduct the requested acts.
At the hotel room, the suspect would knock on the door and meet the undercover agent. Once the rug was pulled from under their feet, a search would confirm the suspect had cash on hand and they were promptly arrested.
Gene Powell is the current public information officer of the Texas Department of Transportation's Odessa District. He has been arrested on similar charges before due to his involvement in the 2004 Healing Hands Parlor sting operation.
First-time offenders of the charge face a maximum penalty of two years in prison, while second-time offenders can be sentenced to up to 10 years behind bars.