AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced the successful conviction of John David Payne, 37, to life in prison for Online Solicitation of a Minor in Montgomery County. The conviction stems from undercover operations conducted by the Conroe Police Department, the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and testimony from the Texas attorney general’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID).

Payne arranged to meet with a person he thought to be a 14-year-old girl and upon arrival to the meeting location, Montgomery Country Constable Precinct 4 – Special Response Team took Payne into custody. CID investigators testified during the punishment phase of Payne’s trial that Payne had a pattern of soliciting sex from minors online. In 2005, CID arrested Payne on charges of Online Solicitation of a Minor after they conducted undercover operations.

The Office of the Attorney General works to protect children by using the latest technology to track down some of the most profoundly evil predators online. The Child Exploitation Unit proactively seeks out and arrests predators who commit crimes against children using technology and online sources. Attorney General Paxton urges all parents and teachers to become aware of the risks our children face on the internet and take steps to help ensure their children’s safety. For more information on cyber safety, please visit:

https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/cj/cyber-safety.