Eight ETX Men Have Been Arrested for Solicitation of Prostitution

Not pictured in the featured photo is Ryan Craig Burgess of Lindale, TX, and Chester Ray Webb of Tyler, TX. Their photos have not yet been made available.

Believe it or not, there are varying views regarding prostitution in the State of Texas. Some feel it should be legal but heavily regulated to protect the sex workers. Others feel adamant that it is always wrong and is degrading to those who work in the sex industry AND to those who solicit. There are views in between, as well.

However, the law is the law.

As it stands, the current Texas State Penal Code defines solicitation of prostitution as occurring when:

A person commits an offense if the person knowingly offers or agrees to pay a fee to another person for the purpose of engaging in sexual conduct with that person or another.

And thus...

Nine men have been arrested as a result of a solicitation of prostitution operation that was recently carried out by the Texas Department of Public Safety. DPS has confirmed they were assisted by the Smith County TAG Unit (Texas Anti-Gang Unit).

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Eight of those men are East Texas natives. One man is from New Mexico. Texas DPS has confirmed they made the arrests over the course of a couple of days--Tuesday, May 17, and Wednesday, May 18.

Ranging from ages 23 to 64, these eight men live in Tyler, Canton, and Lindale, Texas. Here's a list of those who were arrested:

Chester Ray Webb of Tyler, Texas, 32 (no photo available at this time.)

Ryan Craig Burgess of Lindale, Texas, 30 (no photo available at this time.)

Leonardo Hernandez Rodriguez of Lovington, New Mexico, 23

Leonardo Rodriguez, Smith County

David Balderas of Tyler, Texas, 32

David Balderas, Smith County

Allen Ronald Johnson, Jr., of Lindale, Texas, 44

Allen Ronald Johnson, Jr, Smith County

Chaminda P. Alwis of Tyler, Texas, 53

Chaminda P. Alwis, Smith County

Jeffrey Alan Watts of Tyler, Texas, 64

Jeffrey Alan Watts, Smith County

Jason Wilhelm Veihl of Canton, Texas, 45

Jason Wilhelm Veihl, Smith County

If the men are convicted, they could spend up to two years in jail and be required to pay fines which would not be higher than $10,000.

East Texas Reacts to Man Arrested Outside of Canton Courthouse

In '22 we are so much better educated on mental health and the pitfalls associated with it than we ever been before. When this Canton, TX man was apprehended last night (May 1st) in front of the city's courthouse, the outpouring of love and calls for mental awareness that filled social media was almost overwhelming