12 Men Indicted for Prostitution Charges

ABILENE, TX – After weeks of investigating an online prostitution case, the Abilene Police Department Cyber Crimes Detectives are officially filing charges against 12 men. 

Back in December, twenty men were identified during an investigation involving a woman of Chinese descent who claimed she had been flown into Abilene by her “controllers” to be trafficked. The men were identified thanks to the selfies the suspects were required to send to the "controllers" to "acquire the services of the woman." With the public’s help, APD was able to identify all the men.

According to KTXS, the 12 individuals will be charged with misdemeanor prostitution. The list includes Jim Counts, a math teacher at Mann Middle School in Abilene. The offense is a Class B misdemeanor and carries a penalty of up to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

• David Cunningham, 60, of Merkel - Suspect #2
• Edward Carl Price, 49, of Albany - Suspect #3
• Tim Castro, 31, of Abilene - Suspect #6
• Daniel Phillip, 31, of Abilene - Suspect #7
• Kevin Mitchell, 26, of Abilene - Suspect #8
• Jeremy Berres, 37, of Abilene -Suspect #9
• Eric Crawford, 34, of Clyde - Suspect #10
• Tommy Stevens, 62, of Abilene - Suspect #12
• Jim Counts, 51, of Abilene - Suspect #13
• Ronald Cooper, 60, of Tuscola - Suspect #14
• Manuel Carrizales, 31, of Amarillo - Suspect #16
• Gerardo Olivera, 35, of Abilene - Suspect #17