Four arrested in undercover sex sting

TYLER – Four men from Smith County were arrested this week for allegedly attempting to solicit sex from what they thought were underage girls, but were actually undercover agents with the attorney general’s office. According to our news partner KETK, their affidavits say the men messaged what they thought was a 17-year-old girl named “Sarah” on a website “for offenders soliciting minors for commercial sexual acts in exchange for payment in Tyler.” The account operating under the name “Sarah” was in reality a sergeant with the Office of the Attorney General who was conducting an online investigation. The suspects are Jose Hernandez, 37, of Tyler; Matthew Organ, 44, of Whitehouse; James Amos, 54 of Flint; and Delano Phelps, 89, of Tyler. Each was arrested for second-degree felony solicitation of prostitution under 18 years old and was freed after posting a $50,000 bond.