Reeves County Sheriff's Office addresses social media rumor of human trafficking ring
PECOS, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- The Reeves County Sheriff's Office is responding to growing concern over a social media post that has gone viral in the Permian Basin, warning residents about an alleged human trafficking ring targeting children and women in West Texas and New Mexico.
In an official statement posted to the department's Facebook page, Sheriff Arturo 'Art' Granado said there have been no verified reports of such activity in Reeves County and urged the public not to panic.
'There has been reports of a trafficking ring hitting New Mexico and West Texas,' the alert reads. 'Do not be alarmed by this post circulating social media, as there has been NO reports of such activity [in Reeves County].'
The viral message, which appears to be a screenshot of a text message or Facebook post, claims that law enforcement in Pecos caught two suspects involved in a child trafficking operation. The post goes on to warn families to keep children inside, and advises that 'all females need to be home or in a hotel before dark.' It also alleges that police instructed people to spread the warning because it's 'not in the press.'
Sheriff Granado clarified that while public safety is always a priority, the information shared in that message has not been confirmed by local authorities.
'We write to bring your attention to a matter of concern… Do not be alarmed… Stay alert, stay safe,' Granado said.
The Sheriff's Office is encouraging residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity directly to law enforcement, rather than relying on unverified posts.
This comes amid a broader trend of viral warnings spreading across Texas communities. In recent months, similar alerts about human trafficking rings have circulated online and been debunked by authorities in other countries.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Parents of toddler seen wandering through Gilbert at 4 am are located
The parents of a toddler found wandering in Gilbert just after 4 a.m. were located. In a Facebook post, the Gilbert Police Department said the toddler, who they believed to be 3 years old, was found near Queen Creek and Higley roads. Police asked for the public's assistance to find the child's family after attempts to canvass nearby neighborhoods were unsuccessful. At about 7 a.m., police said in an updated Facebook post that the parents of the toddler were found. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Toddler wandering through Gilbert reunited with parents
Miami Herald
28 minutes ago
- Miami Herald
Cicada ‘attack' causes panicked driver to crash, Ohio cops say. ‘Can be dangerous'
Summer has officially landed according to the cicadas being out and about in droves in Ohio. The Cincinnati area has been battling swarms of the irksome insects as viral videos have shown, but they ended up personally victimizing one human — and his car. A cicada managed to fly into the window of a car, causing the driver to crash, the Blue Ash Police Department said in a June 13 Facebook post. 'We're all well aware that these pesky cicadas don't respect personal space, including while driving. It may be a good idea to keep the windows up for the next several weeks,' the department said with a photo of a silver Kia on its side with a shattered windshield. The accident occurred when the panicked driver tried to shoo the insect out of the car when he veered and struck a pole, WLWT5 said. 'As you can see, a cicada attack can be dangerous. Fortunately, no one was injured in this crash. The suspect fled the scene,' the department joked. These types of cicadas are called 'periodical' and appear above ground every 17 years, Britannica says. 'The largest brood makes its appearance every 17 years, like clockwork, in the northeastern quarter of the United States. Shortly after a 17-year cicada nymph hatches from its egg, it burrows into the ground, where it spends—as its name suggests—the first 17 years of its life,' Britannica notes. 'When it emerges from the ground, it lives only four to six more weeks—just long enough to mate, fertilize or lay eggs, and start the cycle all over again.' Blue Ash is about a 20-minute drive northeast of Cincinnati.
Hamilton Spectator
34 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Police bust illegal cannabis dispensary near Gage Park
Hamilton police have busted an illegal cannabis dispensary near Gage Park. Police said its major drugs and gangs unit raided Hi Gradez cannabis dispensary at 1111 Main St. E. on Thursday following a community complaint. An unspecified quantity of drugs was seized. In a Facebook post last month, Coun. Nrinder Nann expressed concern about the unlicensed dispensary and encouraged constituents to report it to the Alcohol Gaming Commission of Ontario. 'When bad faith cannabis retailers open up shop without a licence, as is the case at 1111 Main St E, it is Hamilton Police Services that can act to shut them down.' Police said one woman was arrested at the shop and released with a future court date. Penalties for unauthorized marijuana retailers could range from fines of $10,000 to $250,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both, according to police. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
