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20 people arrested in multi-day prostitution sting in Kerr County

By FOX 7 Austin Digital Team
Published  November 10, 2021 9:54am CST
Texas
FOX 7 Austin
article

Booking photos of the 20 people arrested in a prostitution sting in Kerr County. Photo courtesy Kerr County Sheriff's Office.

KERRVILLE, Texas - 20 people have been arrested after a multi-day prostitution sting in Kerr County.

The Kerr County Sheriff's Office says during the operation, investigators were able to communicate with and identify, more than 265 people across the region who were actively seeking prostitutes with some including arrangements involving children.

A total of 20 suspects were arrested after communicating with officers and attempting to meet what they believed to be women, and in some cases minors, for sexual conduct. 

Those arrested in the operation were:

  • Sheridan Lance Rippy, 66, of Kerrville, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Rippy was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
  • Kenneth Wayne Hatcher, 58, of Kerrville, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Hatcher was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
  • Donald Eugene Kampfhenkel, 66, of Kerrville, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution, and one count of Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon. Mr. Kampfhenkel was booked into the Kerr County Jail. Bond has not been set.
  • Oscar Leonides Herrera, 38, of Kerrville, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Herrera was booked into the Kerr County Jail. Bond has not been set.
  • Chad Frederick Shannon, 37, of Bryan, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Shannon was booked into the Kerr County Jail. Bond has not been set.
  • Joel Morin, Jr., 41, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Morin was booked into the Kerr County Jail. Bond has not been set.
  • Jimmie Alcorta, Jr., 50, of Kerrville, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Alcorta was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
  • Matthew Ryan Carr, 38, of Fredericksburg, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Carr was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
  • Octavio Rico Viramontes, 38, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution, and one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance, PG1, (Methamphetamine) >4<200G. Mr. Viramontes was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $27,500 bond.
  • Steven Ray King, 61, of Boerne, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. King was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $7,500 bond.

Detectives arrest 20 people in Kerr County prostitution sting

The Kerr County Sheriff's worked with local and state agencies on the multi-day operation. The suspects are from several places including Kerrville, San Antonio, Fredericksburg, Boerne, and New Braunfels.

  • Christopher Scott Jony, 52, of La Vernia, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Jony was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $7,500 bond.
  • Christopher Daniel Berry, 37, of Stockdale, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution, one count of Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance, PG 1 (Methamphetamine) >4<200G, one count of Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon, and Possession of Marijuana <2oz. Mr. Berry was booked into the Kerr County Jail. Bond has not been set.
  • Nicholas Silva, 41, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution, one count of Online Solicitation of a Minor. Mr. Silva was booked into the Kerr County Jail. Bond has not been set.
  • Sam Junior Son, 41, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution, one count of Online Solicitation of a Minor. Mr. Son was booked into the Kerr County Jail. Bond has not been set.
  • Emmett Logan Brown, 41, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Brown was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $7,500 bond.
  • Alan Anthony Martin, 59, of Spring Branch, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Martin was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $7,500 bond.
  • William Franklin Gadberry, 43, of New Braunfels, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Gadberry was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $7,500 bond.
  • Bao V Tran, 31, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Tran was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $7,500 bond.
  • Christopher Daniel Walker, 41, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution. Mr. Walker was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $7,500 bond.
  • Paz Joaquin Martinez, 44, of San Antonio, on one count of Solicitation of Prostitution, and one count of Manufacture / Delivery of a Controlled Substance, PG 1 (Methamphetamine) <1g. Mr. Martinez was booked into the Kerr County Jail on a $15,000 bond.

Officials say additional charges may be added as this investigation continues. 

Participating in the undercover operation were officers and assets from the Kerr County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division and Special Operations Division, in conjunction with the Kerrville Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff's Office Organized Crime Unit, Texas Dept. of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, and the Texas Dept. of Public Safety Intelligence and Counter Terrorism Division.

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