Mother sentenced for attempted Sex-Trafficking of Child

On Thursday, July 12, 2018, in the 9th District Court of Montgomery County, Texas, (Judge Phil Grant presiding) Defendant Sarah Peters, 25, pleaded guilty to the felony offenses of Sexual Performance of a Child, Attempted Human Trafficking, and Promotion of Prostitution of a Child. Peters was sentenced to 40 years confinement in prison (TDCJ) on the Sexual Performance of a Child case, which is an aggravated offense for purposes of parole. Peters was sentenced to 20 years TDCJ on the other two charges. These sentences will run concurrently and Peters will not be eligible for parole on the Sexual Performance of a Child case until 2038.

Defendant Sarah Peters, 25

In February of 2018, Detective Serratt, with the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, was conducting an investigation into child exploitation. Detective Serratt was acting in an undercover capacity online where he met the Defendant, later identified as Sarah Peters. During the course of Serratt’s investigation, the Defendant made an agreement with an undercover persona, created by Serratt, to sell her 2 year old child for sex. The Defendant then brought her two year old daughter to Conroe, Texas, on an agreed upon date, for the purpose of allowing an adult male to engage in sex acts with the child for a fee of $1,200.00. Investigators with the Internet Crimes Against Children’s Task Force, along with Special Agents assigned to the Department of Homeland Security, intercepted the Defendant and her daughter at a Greyhound Bus Station in Montgomery County, Texas. The Defendant was arrested and her child was taken to a safe location.

Prosecutor Laura Bond said, “This case represents yet another example of the dedicated work of Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, Special Agents with Homeland Security, and other members of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children/Child Exploitation taskforce which resulted in the proactive protection of a young child.”

Tyler Dunman, Special Crimes Bureau Chief shared, “The events of this case are hard to believe – that a mom would willingly expose her own daughter to this type of danger. And without the proactive work of Detective Serratt and the ICAC Task Force, this child would have become a victim to the worse type of abuse. Our citizens must realize this type of activity happens in our community. We need the community to be vigilant and report to law enforcement any activity they see/hear where a child might be in danger of abuse or sexual exportation. We are very fortunate to have this team of dedicated law enforcement professionals working so diligently for the safety of our children and community.”

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