Latest news with #TheDallasExpress
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Denton County Sheriff Busts Three In Prostitution Sting
The Denton County Sheriff nabbed three – including an alleged pedophile – in an anti-prostitution mission. Deputies conducted a 'Prostitution Demand Suppression Operation' in Denton on May 29, according to a release from the sheriff's office. They arrested John Kolby Holland for online solicitation of a minor, and Patrick Daniel Smith and Nicholas Matt for soliciting prostitution. Matt faced an additional charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon. 'This operation aimed to reduce prostitution in our community by arresting individuals attempting to purchase sexual favors for money,' reads the release from the sheriff's office. Holland's bond was $25,000, Smith's bond was $1,000, and Matt's bond was $1,000 for solicitation and $2,500 for the weapons charge, according to jail records. All three were booked on May 29 but were released as they posted bond the next day. During the investigation, deputies found 'leads on other persons engaging in Prostitution,' according to the release. The sheriff's Human Trafficking Unit is following up on these leads. Dallas saw a surge in sex trafficking and prostitution in 2024, as The Dallas Express previously reported. The city is also home to hundreds of 'escort sites,' illicit massage businesses, and brothels. Northwest Dallas – District 6 in particular – has historically been the site of many such criminal activities. Earlier this year, a 13-year-old was forced into prostitution off Harry Hines Blvd. These explicit activities have also spread beyond Dallas. Last year, the City of Plano sued the Red Rose Spa, alleging it was a front for 'illicit activities, criminal conduct, and lewd behavior,' as The Dallas Express reported at the time. The city claimed the business was 'advertising the sale of young girls, attracting deviant clientele, and placing the community in danger.' Just weeks earlier, another Plano massage parlor closed down after allegations it was offering prostitution.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
McKinney 'Pride' Uses Kiddie Corner For Drag Queen Catwalk
Outrage has popped up across Texas after a recent 'Pride' event in McKinney featured over-sexualized drag performances aimed at children who were sitting in the front row. The 'Pride' themed event, billed as a family-friendly celebration, quickly devolved into a disturbing spectacle of adult 'entertainment' that left many questioning the motivations behind these so-called 'inclusive' celebrations. Photos and videos circulating online show drag performers in revealing outfits, one in a high-cut neon orange piece of lingerie, dancing and interacting with young children, raising serious concerns about the appropriateness of such displays at public events. The Texas Family Project posted a highlighted video of the event, with drag performers literally dancing in the faces of extremely young children in attendance with their parents. Adjacent to this shocking scene were multiple booths selling rainbow flags and other merch pedaled to the crowds looking to buy plastic wares emblazoned with pro-LGBTQ+ sayings or images. One person commented to the posted online video, saying, 'Society is cooked.' Another added, 'The word family has no place in this.' As The Dallas Express has previously highlighted, many Texans continue to argue that drag shows, often marked by adult themes and provocative dancing, have no place at publicly advertised family events – especially when children are present. Texas Family Project, a leading advocacy group to protect children across The Lone Star State, called on local officials to put an end to drag shows that target minors. With 'Pride Month' underway, many fear these events will become more frequent, exposing more children to grotesquely adult or sexual ideologies – ideologies that seem far from what a child should ever be thinking about. Those with left-wing ideologies continue to host these child-friendly drag shows almost as a provocation to any American with conservative values, let alone the basic apolitical value of protecting children. A series of grossly provocative efforts to expose children to not only LGBTQ+ events but simply events that are trying to blur the line between adult entertainment and family-friendly atmospheres, as previously covered by DX. The McKinney Area Democratic Club and the Collin County Democratic Party were featured tiered for the event. Many wonder when the imposed gender and sexual agendas are going to stop being imposed on innocent young kids – regardless of their parent's political views.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Funeral Remembers Grapevine Lake Victim Ava Moore With Full Military Honors
Ava Moore, the 18-year-old victim of a jet ski on Grapevine Lake, received full military honors at her funeral over the weekend. Moore's funeral took place at The Met Church in Fort Worth at 3:30 p.m. on May 31, according to a statement from Amanda McNew, media manager for Grapevine Police. Since Moore was preparing for the Air Force Academy, as The Dallas Express previously reported, the United States Air Force gave her '[f]ull military honors' outside the church at the end of the service. 'The family has asked for privacy as they grieve the loss of their daughter,' McNew wrote in the statement. 'Ava's loss has been deeply felt throughout our community.' Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne, a Republican, posted on X in honor of Moore. 'Ava Moore's Coming Home memorial was held today along with full military honors,' the congresswoman wrote. 'May she rest in peace and her family be blessed by her wonderful memory.' Kayakers met on Grapevine Lake on May 31 to remember Moore, scattering pedals on the water in her honor. Soon after the tragedy, Moore's family emphasized faith and forgiveness, as The Dallas Express reported. 'This is a difficult time for all involved, but also an opportunity for our beautiful girl to continue to impact our community,' her family said in a statement at the time. 'Out of this tragedy, God will make good, and that only can be accomplished through forgiveness.' While Moore was kayaking on Grapevine Lake during Memorial Day weekend, she was struck and killed by a jet ski allegedly operated by Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez, an illegal alien from Venezuela, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. The man who allegedly helped her flee the scene – committing a hit-and-run in the process – is Maikel Coello Perozo, another illegal alien from Venezuela. Under former President Joe Biden's administration, they unlawfully crossed the border in 2023, and officials captured and then released both of them. Gonzalez and Perozo fled the scene, sparking a multi-day manhunt. As The Dallas Express previously reported, police arrested them May 27 in Dallas. ICE lodged immigration holds with the suspects, who are now 'in removal proceedings.' They were initially held at the Grapevine Police Department but have since been transferred to the Tarrant County Jail. Gonzalez faces a manslaughter charge with a $500,000 bond, according to jail records. Perozo faces a charge of collision involving damage to a vehicle with a $2,500 bond and a charge of hindering apprehension/prosecution with a $750 bond. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott previously suggested the death penalty for the suspects, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. Andrew Mahaleris, Abbott's press secretary, emphasized in an email to The Dallas Express that 'Texans deserve protection from unchecked criminal activity.' 'The State of Texas has no tolerance for heinous criminals who kill Texans,' Mahaleris said in an email. 'The victim's family deserves swift justice, and the criminal illegal immigrants should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.' McNew asked the media to respect Moore's family and their privacy during this difficult time. 'We ask all media outlets to honor that request with care and sensitivity,' she wrote. 'The Grapevine Police Department remains committed to supporting her family and thanks members of the media for their continued compassion and respect.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Out Of Touch Or On A Mission? Patrick's Anti-THC Rant
In a press conference held this week, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick continued to staunchly defend Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), legislation aimed at banning all consumable THC products in the state. Patrick spoke to a room full of reporters about the bill's intent to protect the overall health of Texans, particularly for minors in the Lone Star State, by cutting all access to THC products that have continued to grow in popularity since the state-wide legalization of hemp in 2019. On a city-wide level, as previously covered by The Dallas Express, Dallas voters passed Proposition R in November of last year, making possession of under 4 ounces of marijuana the 'lowest priority' for local law enforcement. However, both efforts have continued to receive pushback from Patrick and other leaders like Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton's office has even sued a handful of municipalities for approving the relaxed laws on marijuana enforcement. 'This unconstitutional action by municipalities demonstrates why Texas must have a law to 'follow the law.' It's quite simple: the legislature passes every law after a full debate on the issues, and we don't allow cities the ability to create anarchy by picking and choosing the laws they enforce,' Paxton said in a press release published last year. SB 3, which has passed both legislative chambers, now seeks to ban all forms of THC, including Delta-8 and Delta-9 variants, currently sold regularly in gas stations and 'smoke shops,' while exempting 'non-intoxicating' cannabinoids like CBD and CBG. However, some details surrounding the bill seem to remain a bit cloudy. The bill will also allegedly allow for the state to maintain and continue running its Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Program, allowing limited medical use of low-THC cannabis products. However, Patrick has not yet clarified if the bill will impact the application process for the program. Critics argue that the ban could have significant economic repercussions, as previously reported by The Dallas Express, potentially dismantling Texas's $8 billion hemp industry and cutting off nearly 50,000 jobs. 'If this ban is passed, it would criminalize both consumers as well as sellers/distributors. Businesses in Texas would have to stop selling these products altogether, which would likely result in a lot of businesses closing up shop altogether,' Ben Michael, an attorney at Michael & Associates, previously told DX. 'This would also likely mean that larger companies based in other states would be limited with where or who they could sell to, leading to potential legal battles. Consumers in Texas could also face fines or charges for buying these products, even if they are for medical purposes, because it seems as though the ban essentially has no exceptions,' Michael added. Yet, Patrick seems deadset on pushing the ban forward. 'We cannot in good conscience leave Austin without banning THC, which is harming our children, and destroying Texans' lives and families,' The Texas Lieutenant General declared via X. Governor Greg Abbott has yet to say whether he will sign SB 3 into law. If enacted, the ban will take effect in September of this year.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Grapevine Lake Death Exposes Dangers Of Possible Illegal Alien Gatherings
Before an illegal alien allegedly killed a woman on Grapevine Lake during Memorial Day weekend, likely Venezuelan crowds had been gathering at the location for 'months' with large amounts of alcohol, The Dallas Express has learned. 'It's kind of turned into kind of a big, big party,' said Raul Barraza, a nearby resident who frequents the location with his family, to The Dallas Express. 'Beer everywhere.' Barraza explained that he lives just minutes from Oak Grove Park in Grapevine, where Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez allegedly struck and killed 18-year-old Ava Moore with a jet ski on May 25, as The Dallas Express previously reported. Gonzalez fled the scene with Maikel Coello Perozo. Both suspects, 21, are illegal aliens from Venezuela, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. They were caught illegally crossing the southern border in 2023, but officials under President Joe Biden's administration released them at the time. The Texas Game Wardens and Grapevine Police Department captured the suspects on May 27 after a days-long manhunt. ICE has placed them on immigration holds, and they are now in 'removal proceedings.' Barraza told The Dallas Express that he and his family routinely visit the park where Moore lost her life. He said for months, from Katy's Woods to Oak Grove Park – where the tragedy occurred – 'it's madness' between Thursday and Sunday. 'We've kind of seen it from a distance the past couple months, and it just kind of gets crazy,' he said. 'It's almost turned into a party, dude. Beer everywhere.' Barraza's wife is from Colombia, so she recognized the crowds were speaking in accents described as 'definitely' from Venezuela – 'no doubt about it.' The park area by the baseball field is usually where 'all the commotion happens.' He said he has not seen any drug use but 'would not doubt it.' 'The lake is supposed to be a place where you go find some peace, get relaxed, get close to nature,' Barraza said. 'For a place that's always been kept clean, it's crazy seeing it just kind of get grimy.' He also said he has heard instances of men roaming the park, offering jet skis for rent to the 'big crowd.' The Dallas Express asked the Grapevine Police Department where the suspects got the jet ski, but Media Manager Amanda McNew directed inquiries to the Texas Game Wardens. Maggie Berger, public information officer for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department – which oversees the game wardens – told The Dallas Express that officials are investigating the ownership of the jet ski Gonzalez was operating at the time. 'The Texas Game Warden Marine Theft Investigation Unit is looking into the ownership history of the personal watercraft,' Berger said. She also said she is 'unable to release any additional details relating to the ownership' of the jet ski due to the 'ongoing investigation.'
