Pct. 5 chief deputy Brian Harris busted in prostitution sting | khou.com

Pct. 5 Chief Deputy Brian Harris was among the 14 people arrested by Montgomery County's organized crime unit at a local hotel, the sheriff's office said. The sting was conducted with the Human Trafficking Alliance.

Harris was charged with solicitation of prostitution, which is a felony. His bond was set at $1,500.

Precinct 5 Constable Ted Heap was notified Wednesday night that Harris was arrested in Montgomery County. He said Harris was immediately fired.

“We hold our deputies to the highest standard,” Heap said. “His termination is effective immediately.”

Before joining Precinct 5, Harris was a veteran homicide detective with the Houston Police Department and had been in law enforcement for over 30 years.

“Anybody who's worked in the criminal justice system more than five minutes knows who he is and would be shocked by these charges,” KHOU 11 legal analyst Carmen Roe said.

The charge that used to be a misdemeanor was enhanced to a state jail felony in Texas last year. Roe said Harris' law enforcement career is over and he will likely serve time.

“State jail time versus prison time is actually more serious because there's no such thing as good time. So, if you're sentenced to six months of state jail time, you will serve it day for day,” Roe explained. “You will not be released early.”

 According to his website, Harris has trained hundreds of officers nationally and internationally on interviewing and interrogating techniques. He also taught at the FBI Academy.

He is married with children and grandchildren.

The Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance is a multi-agency task force comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement from the region whose mission is to rescue victims of human trafficking and stop people from engaging in activities that promote human trafficking and prostitution.

“We are sending a message that we are not going to tolerate this activity in our community,” the sheriff's office said in a press release. “We will arrest and charge those who engage in this illicit act. We will also continue to identify those who have been forced into trafficking by rescuing them from their situations and connecting them with services to help with their recovery.”

If You or Someone You Know are in Danger and Need Immediate Help:

• Call 911 for the local police department
• National Human Trafficking Hotline:1-888-373-7888
• Text: 233733
• Chat online with Human Trafficking Hotline.