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Six sex offenders arrested for violating parole on Halloween
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s Fugitive Unit arrested six previously convicted sex offenders who violated their parole on Halloween night.
Among those arrested was James Allen Smith, 53, of Pasadena.
All six arrests were made during Operation Safe Halloween, a joint effort between the Fugitive Unit and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Parole Division (TDCJ). The crackdown targeted sexual predators whose parole conditions required them to avoid young trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
“Operation Safe Halloween targeted convicted sex offenders who violated their parole on Halloween night,” Abbott said. “With young Texans out trick-or-treating, these sexual predators were under specific orders governing their Halloween night activities. We are grateful to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and local law enforcement for working with the Fugitive Unit to ensure their previously convicted sex offenders are held accountable for parole violations.”
The convicted sex offenders who were arrested during Operation Safe Halloween were:
James Monroe Turner, 61, of Houston, was arrested on Nov. 6 for failing to reporting as directed on Halloween night. In 1993, Turner was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child in Harris County;
James Allen Smith, 53, of Pasadena, was arrested on Nov. 5 for failing to comply with his parole conditions by failing to remain at his residence on Halloween night. Smith was convicted of indecency with a child in 1978 in Brazoria County;
James Benjamin Jodon, 66, of Friendswood, was arrested on Nov. 1 for violating his parole by having lights on and Halloween decorations at his residence on Halloween night. In 1992, Jodon was convicted of indecency with a child by sexual contact in Harris County;
Lawrence Joseph Simmons, Jr., 67, of Houston, was arrested on Nov. 5 for violating a curfew in violation of his parole requirements by committing a curfew violation. Simmons was convicted of indecency with a child by sexual contact in 1988 in Galveston County;
Michael Todd Phillips, 46, of Dallas, was arrested on Nov. 3 for failing to comply with parole restrictions requiring that he remain at his residence on Halloween night. He was on the sex offender caseload because of a 1979 conviction for attempted rape of a child; and,
Larry Miller, Jr., 37 of Austin, was arrested on Nov. 3 for failing to comply with parole requirements by not being at his residence on Halloween night. Miller was convicted in 1986 of aggravated sexual assault of a child in Travis County.
Since taking office, Abbott has earned a national reputation for aggressively arresting and prosecuting online child predators. The Fugitive Unit and the Cyber Crimes Unit, which protects children from online sexual exploitation, have combined to arrest more than 700 sex offenders since 2003. Cyber Crimes Unit investigators also have traveled to schools and communities statewide to offer educational cyber safety programs.
To find out more about efforts to crack down on sex predators, visit the Attorney General’s Web site at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov or call (800) 252-8011.
Among those arrested was James Allen Smith, 53, of Pasadena.
All six arrests were made during Operation Safe Halloween, a joint effort between the Fugitive Unit and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Parole Division (TDCJ). The crackdown targeted sexual predators whose parole conditions required them to avoid young trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
“Operation Safe Halloween targeted convicted sex offenders who violated their parole on Halloween night,” Abbott said. “With young Texans out trick-or-treating, these sexual predators were under specific orders governing their Halloween night activities. We are grateful to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and local law enforcement for working with the Fugitive Unit to ensure their previously convicted sex offenders are held accountable for parole violations.”
The convicted sex offenders who were arrested during Operation Safe Halloween were:
James Monroe Turner, 61, of Houston, was arrested on Nov. 6 for failing to reporting as directed on Halloween night. In 1993, Turner was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child in Harris County;
James Allen Smith, 53, of Pasadena, was arrested on Nov. 5 for failing to comply with his parole conditions by failing to remain at his residence on Halloween night. Smith was convicted of indecency with a child in 1978 in Brazoria County;
James Benjamin Jodon, 66, of Friendswood, was arrested on Nov. 1 for violating his parole by having lights on and Halloween decorations at his residence on Halloween night. In 1992, Jodon was convicted of indecency with a child by sexual contact in Harris County;
Lawrence Joseph Simmons, Jr., 67, of Houston, was arrested on Nov. 5 for violating a curfew in violation of his parole requirements by committing a curfew violation. Simmons was convicted of indecency with a child by sexual contact in 1988 in Galveston County;
Michael Todd Phillips, 46, of Dallas, was arrested on Nov. 3 for failing to comply with parole restrictions requiring that he remain at his residence on Halloween night. He was on the sex offender caseload because of a 1979 conviction for attempted rape of a child; and,
Larry Miller, Jr., 37 of Austin, was arrested on Nov. 3 for failing to comply with parole requirements by not being at his residence on Halloween night. Miller was convicted in 1986 of aggravated sexual assault of a child in Travis County.
Since taking office, Abbott has earned a national reputation for aggressively arresting and prosecuting online child predators. The Fugitive Unit and the Cyber Crimes Unit, which protects children from online sexual exploitation, have combined to arrest more than 700 sex offenders since 2003. Cyber Crimes Unit investigators also have traveled to schools and communities statewide to offer educational cyber safety programs.
To find out more about efforts to crack down on sex predators, visit the Attorney General’s Web site at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov or call (800) 252-8011.
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