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HARDIN COUNTY – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Criminal Investigations Division, with the assistance of the Lumberton Police Department and Texas Rangers (DPS), arrested a California man on charges of trafficking of persons, a felony offense, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022.

The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Dillon Ellis, is accused of traveling from California to Texas, where he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old juvenile and had intentions of taking the victim back to California.

Ellis used social media to engage with the child, eventually soliciting illicit images. Investigators believe Ellis was actively communicating with at least three other juveniles on social media and the details of those conversations are part of this ongoing investigation.

There is no additional information available to release at this time.