The Kerr County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest of 20 men suspected of soliciting prostitution or attempting to lure children into sex. The arrests were part of a broader sex trafficking and prostitution raid that netted more than 265 suspects across the region.
Working with the Kerrville Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff's Office Organized Crime Unit, Texas Dept. of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, and the Texas Dept. of Public Safety Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism Division, sheriff's deputies and other officers posed as prostitutes or children. The communications with the suspects led to their eventual arrests
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“This operation represents a big win for the safety of our community, in Kerr County and the region,” Sheriff Larry Leitha said. “Once again, our Criminal Investigation Division led a strong effort with invaluable support from our interagency partners.”
Those arrested were:
- Sheridan Lance Rippy, 66, of Kerrville, on one count of solicitation of prostitution. Authorities booked Rippy into the Kerr County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
- Kenneth Wayne Hatcher, 58, of Kerrville, on one count of solicitation of prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Hatcher's bond is $5,000.
- Donald Eugene Kampfhenkel, 66, of Kerrville, on one count of solicitation of prostitution and one count of unlawful carrying of a weapon. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Kampfhenkel's bond is pending.
- Oscar Leonides Herrera, 38, of Kerrville, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Herrera's bond is pending.
- Chad Frederick Shannon, 37, of Bryan, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Shannon's bond is pending.
- Joel Morin, Jr., 41, of San Antonio, on one count of solicitation of prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Morin's bond is pending.
- Jimmie Alcorta, Jr., 50, of Kerrville, on one count of solicitation of prostitution. Authorities booked Alcorta into the Kerr County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
- Matthew Ryan Carr, 38, of Fredericksburg, on one count of solicitation of prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Carr's bond was $5,000.
- Octavio Rico Viramontes, 38, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution and one count of
- Possession of a Controlled Substance, PG1, (Methamphetamine) >4<200G. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Viramontes's bond was $27,500.
- Steven Ray King, 61, of Boerne, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, King's bond was $7,500.
- Christopher Scott Jony, 52, of La Vernia, on one count of solicitation of prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Jony's bond is $7,500.
- Christopher Daniel Berry, 37, of Stockdale, on one count of solicitation of prostitution, one count of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, PG 1 (Methamphetamine), one count of unlawful carrying of a weapon, and possession of marijuana less than 2 ounces. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Berry's bond is pending.
- Nicholas Silva, 41, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution, one count of online solicitation of a minor. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Silva's bond is pending.
- Sam Junior Son, 41, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution, one count of online solicitation of a minor. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Son's bond is pending.
- Emmett Logan Brown, 41, of San Antonio, on one count of solicitation of prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Brown's bond is $7,500.
- Alan Anthony Martin, 59, of Spring Branch, on one count of solicitation of prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Martin's bond is $7,500.
- William Franklin Gadberry, 43, of New Braunfels, on one count of solicitation of prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Gadberry's bond is $7,500.
- Bao V Tran, 31, of San Antonio, on one count of solicitation of prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Tran's bond is $7,500.
- Christopher Daniel Walker, 41, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Walker's bond is $7,500.
- Paz Joaquin Martinez, 44, of San Antonio, on one count of solicitation of prostitution and one count of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, PG 1 (Methamphetamine) <1g. Booked into Kerr County Jail, Martinez's bond is $15,000.
