Houston officials: January operations rescued 29 trafficking victims, arrested 15 alleged traffickers

Houston Police Department officials and federal and county partners announced results from coordinated anti‑trafficking operations conducted in January that they said led to the arrest of 15 alleged traffickers, the filing of 21 trafficking‑related charges and the recovery of 29 victims, including 11 juveniles.

The announcement came at a Houston press conference where Captain Salom Zia of the Houston Police Department’s vice division, which houses the human trafficking unit and the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance, described the effort as a multiagency undertaking. "Our success is bolstered by the strong partnerships to the human trafficking, rescue alliance with our local state and federal agencies," Captain Salom Zia said.

Why it matters: Officials said the coordinated investigations and rescues demonstrate cross‑jurisdictional cooperation among city, county and federal agencies at a time when investigators contend traffickers move victims across county and state lines. Mayor John Whitmire said the work will continue year‑round: "Every month... our law enforcement, our community is gonna fight human trafficking."

Most consequential case officials described involved the recovery of a juvenile on Jan. 15 after detectives identified an online advertisement and arranged a recovery operation. Detective Cynthia Garcia, the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance coordinator, said undercover and uniformed officers recovered the juvenile after an encounter arranged through an online contact. Officers detained the vehicle driver without incident and recovered a backpack that contained a Glock 26 9mm pistol with a loaded extended magazine and an installed switch, plus another extended magazine, Garcia said.

The transcript identifies a suspect named Raul Gallegos who was charged with trafficking of a child and compelling prostitution; bond was reported at $100,000 for each of those charges. The transcript later refers to the same suspect as "Raul Gallo"; officials said the case remains under investigation by the Houston Police Department and the FBI and listed a next court date of 03/21/2025. The transcript also reports an additional charge of violation of a protective order with a bond set at $150,000.

Officials provided overall figures for January operations but did not provide an itemized list linking every arrest and charge to specific incidents during the press conference. A Houston Police Department staff member reported the combined January totals: "15 traffickers were arrested, 21 trafficking related charges were filed, and 29 victims were rescued, including 11 juveniles."

Law enforcement leaders emphasized the role of online platforms and social media in facilitating trafficking and urged families to watch for warning signs. Chief Noe Diaz said parents should check children’s phones and report suspicious activity: "If the parents find something on the phone, please alert the authorities." Deputy Special Agent in Charge Aaron Burke of Homeland Security Investigations and other prosecutors and county law enforcement representatives in attendance reiterated that victim services and prosecution are coordinated across agencies.

Officials said victims are connected with multiple support points after recovery, including HPD’s victim services division led by Julie Pleasant and community nonprofit advocates, and that survivor support ranges from immediate interventions to longer‑term services.

The press conference was presented as an update on outcomes from January operations during Human Trafficking Awareness Month; officials repeatedly framed the work as ongoing and dependent on continued interagency cooperation and public reporting of suspected cases.

Officials encouraged anyone with information about suspected trafficking to contact local law enforcement. The announcement did not include a comprehensive list of all arresting agencies, case numbers for each arrest, or a complete breakdown tying every listed charge to a named suspect; those details were described as part of active, ongoing investigations.