PLANO, TX — In observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (April 19–25, 2026), U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs and the Eastern District of Texas released a comprehensive report detailing a "relentless" effort to combat online predators and human traffickers. The update highlights dozens of individuals facing significant prison time—including several educators and career criminals—involved in schemes ranging from international exploitation to domestic sex trafficking.
Recent 2026 Developments
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Kyle Lee Roy Francis (April 2026): A federal grand jury indicted Francis, 24, a Northwest ISD art teacher at Lance Thompson Elementary. He is charged with receiving and possessing child pornography after an investigation that began in January led to his resignation.
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Justin Philip Ciruti (March 19, 2026): A Plano jury convicted the 42-year-old Richardson resident of possessing and distributing over 200 images of child pornography. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
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Garland & Lyons (January 22, 2026): William McKinnley Garland and Anastasiya Claire Lyons were convicted in a brutal sex trafficking conspiracy. The duo used social media to recruit young women under the guise of modeling, then utilized tasers, shock collars, and physical beatings to force them into prostitution. Both face life in federal prison.
Major Cases from 2025
Sex Trafficking & Exploitation Schemes
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Rolando Alexis Bravo (December 2025): Pleaded guilty to a conspiracy transporting children from Oklahoma to Texas for commercial sexual exploitation. He faces life in prison.
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Haitian Invasion Plot (November 2025): Gavin Rivers Weisenburg (21, Allen) and Tanner Christopher Thomas (20, Argyle) were indicted for a bizarre plot to lead a mercenary force to La Gonâve, Haiti. They planned to murder the island's men and enslave the women and children. Thomas reportedly enlisted in the Air Force specifically to acquire military skills for the coup.
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William Caleb Elliott (November 2025): A teacher and coach for Celina ISD, Elliott was indicted and charged with the production of child pornography.
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Desnique Deshawn Herndon (June 18, 2025): Received seven life sentences for trafficking multiple girls as young as 13. Herndon even managed his trafficking ring from jail through co-conspirators to raise money for his bond.
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Corey Lamar Johnson (May 19, 2025): Convicted of trafficking young women nationwide, using firearms and violent beatings to maintain control. He faces life in prison.
High-Sentenced Predators
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Fransisco Gonzalez (June 24, 2025): Sentenced to 55 years in federal prison for isolating a minor girl from her family under the pretense of taking her to church, then using her to produce and distribute exploitation material.
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John Prentice Robertson (October 21, 2025): Sentenced to 30 years for an international scheme where he paid women in the Philippines over $8,000 to abuse their own children and live-stream the acts for him.
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Enrique Adrian Gomez (July 30, 2025): Sentenced to 30 years for grooming two pre-teen victims via social media apps and persuading them to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
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Sasha Sheree Abshire (June 24, 2025): Sentenced to 30 years for sexually assaulting a preschool-age child and selling recordings of the abuse online.
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Traylan Xavier Mosley (August 26, 2025): Sentenced to 30 years for "catfishing" teen boys by posing as an attractive girl to obtain explicit photos, which he then sold in "porn packets."
Other Notable Sentencings & Indictments
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Henry Alberto Calix-Martinez (December 2025): An undocumented Mexican national indicted for producing and distributing child pornography in Splendora, Texas.
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John Matthew Emerson (August 2025): A convicted felon already on supervised release for child pornography, indicted again after investigators found a new phone containing illegal images.
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Tristan Kalobbe Martin (July 21, 2025): Sentenced to over 24 years for grooming a minor through an online gaming console.
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James Richard Rollins (July 29, 2025): A parolee sentenced to 20 years for possessing 3,600 explicit images while living in a halfway house.
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Zachary Arzola (June 5, 2025): Sentenced to 20 years for traveling from Texas to Ohio with the intent to have sex with a child.
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Ashley Blaine Brooks (October 2025): A convicted sex offender sentenced to 16.6 years (200 months) for new child pornography violations.
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Trinity Snow Cassells (October 2025): Sentenced to 14 years (170 months) for posing as a teen boy online to distribute illegal material to minors.
A Call for Parental Vigilance
U.S. Attorney Combs stressed that while federal law enforcement is committed to "relentless work" in the Eastern District, the primary defense against online predators remains the family.
"The most important tool to stop online predators is an active and engaged parent," Combs stated. "Nothing protects children better than a parent who sets and enforces limits on a child’s online activities and actively monitors their social media presence."
