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Nov 15, 2018

Statements from TABC Leadership on Arrest of Suspected Human Trafficker Following Joint Investigation with Bexar County Sheriff's Office

Background

On November 15, 2018, officers from the Bexar County Sheriff's Office (BCSO) and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) arrested Eric Taylor on charges of Continuous Trafficking of Persons (Texas Penal Code 20A.03) following a month-long joint investigation. The investigation began with reports of a 16-year-old female runaway who was reportedly working at sexually oriented businesses in the central Texas area, including some licensed to sell alcohol by TABC.

Once the minor female was located, investigators uncovered evidence of sexual assault on the part of Taylor, along with evidence indicating that he had recruited the minor female and forced her to work at the clubs.

Both TABC and BCSO are continuing their investigation to determine if there are further victims and if the clubs were aware of the illegal activity.

Statement from Kevin J. Lilly, TABC Chairman:

"This case is a perfect example of why TABC is involved in the fight against human trafficking. Not only was this suspect allegedly sexually assaulting his underaged victim, he's accused of making her work as a dancer at a sexually oriented business. I urge any TABC-licensed business which would even think about allowing this type of activity to carefully consider the consequences of their actions."

Statement from A. Bentley Nettles, TABC Executive Director:

"This arrest would not have been possible without the hard work of both our agents and our partners at the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. We're extremely grateful to BCSO for their cooperation throughout this investigation. I'm confident that our two agencies will continue to work together to get to the bottom of these allegations. Human trafficking has no place in Texas, and we will do our utmost to end this despicable practice."

For more on TABC's efforts to fight human trafficking, view a video on TABC's YouTube channel .

Contact: Chris Porter TABC Public Information Officer (512) 206-3462