National Cyber Tip Line Leads To Arrest Of Texas Man On Multiple Counts Of Child Pornography

Staff Report

Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton is the lawyer for the State of Texas and is charged by the Texas Constitution to:

• defend the laws and the Constitution of the State of Texas
• represent the State in litigation
• approve public bond issues

To fulfill these responsibilities, the Office of the Attorney General serves as legal counsel to all boards and agencies of state government, issues legal opinions when requested by the Governor, heads of state agencies and other officials and agencies as provided by Texas statutes.

The Texas AG sits as an ex-officio member of state committees and commissions, and defends challenges to state laws and suits against both state agencies and individual employees of the State.

Many Texans look to the Office of the Attorney General for guidance with disputes and legal issues. The agency receives hundreds of letters, phone calls and visits each week about crime victims’ compensation, child support, abuse in nursing homes, possible consumer fraud and other topics. To find out more about the Texas Attorney General, visit the official website at https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/.

WEEKLY NEWS ROUND-UP OF THE STATE’S

TOP LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER…

THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL

AG Paxton’s Child Exploitation Unit Makes Child Pornography Arrest in Wharton County

AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton last week announced that on Wednesday the Child Exploitation Unit (CEU) of his office arrested 37-year-old Jeremiah Joshua Pace, of El Campo, Texas, on one count of Possession of Child Pornography.

A CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) notified the Child Exploitation Unit that Pace reportedly uploaded child pornography to an e-mail account.

On October 9, 2019, CEU investigators executed a search warrant of Pace’s residence in Wharton County. When interviewed, Pace admitted to possessing files of child pornography on his cell phone and email account.

Investigators examined Pace’s cell phone and found an image of child pornography and seized several digital storage devices to be examined by the Digital Forensic Unit. Pace was transported to the Wharton County Jail without incident.

Attorney General Paxton’s office works to protect children by using the latest technology to track down some of the most profoundly evil predators online. Since its inception, the Child Exploitation Unit has made 342 arrests and obtained 593 convictions on charges for possession of child pornography.

Attorney General Paxton urges all parents and teachers to become aware of the risks children face on the internet and take steps to help ensure their safety. If you suspect someone is producing or downloading child pornography, you can report it to NCMEC.

For more information on cyber safety, please visit: https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/initiatives/cyber-safety/.

AG Paxton Leads Multi-State Coalition Win in Lawsuit to Protect Texans and Physicians from Obamacare Mandate

AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton applauded the United States District Court for declaring unlawful a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulation that redefined discrimination on the basis of “sex” to include “gender identity” and “termination of pregnancy.”

The federal rule intruded into the doctor-patient relationship, and would have forced doctors to perform controversial operations and abortions, even if they believed the procedures were not in the best interests of their patients, or violated their deeply held religious or conscientious beliefs.

Judge Reed O’Connor of the U.S. District Court for Northern District of Texas ruled that the Obama-era HHS enacted the new rule without legal authority under the Administrative Procedure Act, and that it infringed on the rights of health care providers under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

“We are deeply grateful to the Court for recognizing that Washington’s pursuit of an ideological agenda must still be constrained by the rule of law—including the Separation of Powers and legal protection for religious freedom,” Attorney General Paxton said. “HHS lacked the legal authority to re-write a number of federal laws that prevent sex discrimination and protect religious freedom, especially when it sought to do so by forcing doctors to perform—and American taxpayers to pay for—controversial medical procedures that are contrary to the religious and moral beliefs of millions across our nation.”

The rule would have had a significant impact on Texas, and other states and health care providers. It required taxpayers to fund all treatments designed for one to transition to a different sex.

It would have also required physicians to either perform abortions and certain other medical treatments or refer patients seeking those treatments to another health care provider who would do so, regardless of the physician’s medical judgment or sincerely-held religious and moral beliefs.

In addition, the rule would have forced the Employee Retirement System of Texas and others to amend insurance coverage for some 500,000 participants by providing for gender reassignment and abortions.

Texas was joined in the motion for summary judgment by the states of Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, as well as Franciscan Alliance, Inc., Specialty Physicians of Illinois, LLC, and Christian Medical and Dental Associations.

View the court’s opinion HERE.

Notification of Opinion

Original Request RQ-0290-KP: Payment of district attorney pro tem

Official Opinion KP-0273:
An attorney who assists with a case prior to the district attorney’s recusal or other inability to perform the duties of office serves in the capacity of a special prosecutor, rather than an attorney pro tem, and may qualify for remuneration in that capacity.

Upon the recusal of the district attorney, the court may appoint a pro tem. For an ,attorney pro tem appointed prior to September 1, 2019, the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure required a county to compensate the pro tem in accordance with a fee schedule stating reasonable fixed rates or minimum and maximum hourly rates. Given that the Legislature required limits on fees and prohibited payment outside of those limitations, a provision in a fee schedule permitting’ an award of fees outside of those parameters is invalid.

Official Requestor:
Terri Sellers
Wood County Auditor
P.O. Box 389
Quitman, TX 75783-0389