Police claim a guy who served as the political director for Texas Right to Life, one of the largest anti-abortion advocacy organisations in Texas, was apprehended after falling victim to an internet sting operation targeting paedophiles.
In order to engage in “sexual contact or sexual intercourse or deviant sexual intercourse,” Bowen reportedly “knowingly” sought a youngster online.
There was never any risk to any minors, police said, and his efforts to meet with the youngster were simply a part of an undercover police operation.
According to the authorities, Lucas ‘Luke’ Bowen was detained “on scene,” which means that they did not need a warrant to detain him since they had sufficient proof from his online chats.
Since then, Texas Right to Life has dismissed Bowen, and the organisation has also started removing references to him from its website.
The organization’s spokeswoman said that even while the former political director and treasurer took part in initiatives geared at inspiring college students to support life, “he was not connected with minors in our youth programmes.”
Bowen was charged with a second-degree felony on August 3 and may spend up to 20 years behind bars.
According to reports, Bowen’s attorney argued on behalf of his client that “this investigation centres on a bogus purported juvenile that law enforcement fabricated and placed online.” The case doesn’t actually involve a victim.
According to court documents, Bowen entered a not guilty plea to the solicitation allegation on August 16 and will next be in court on September 22.
His employment with the company was terminated on August 3, according to a group representative.
According to Mike Holley, the first assistant district attorney for Montgomery County, Bowen was apprehended and prosecuted after a sting operation carried out by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force programme.
Holly said that Bowen was apprehended “on the scene,” which implies that the evidence presented by Bowen’s interactions with cops acting as children was sufficient to make the arrest without a warrant.
A “national network of 61 coordinated task teams, comprising over 5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement,” is what the ICAC describes itself as.
Bowen had a prominent position within Texas Right to Life, speaking out in interviews and speeches on the group’s behalf and acting as its treasurer.
One of the most influential anti-abortion organisations in the nation, the group is renowned for establishing anti-abortion agendas and objectives for other states and for making significant contributions to anti-abortion politicians.
They created a website last year that encouraged individuals to anonymously report suspected unlawful abortions so they might later sue. –
Bowen was reportedly participating in one of the pro-life organization’s ‘boot camps’ for nascent anti-abortion campaigners.
According to a now-deleted news release from 2018, Bowen talked to college-age students and urged them to participate in political campaigns for opponents of abortion.