A Houston METRO police officer has been arrested, accused of soliciting explicit images of a child during an undercover investigation led by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Gabriel Thomas Slusher, 27, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon at METRO Police headquarters.
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Investigators allege Slusher made contact with an undercover officer online and requested nude photographs of an 8-year-old girl. A warrant was issued after investigators confirmed his identity during the operation.
READ MORE: Registered sex offenders arrested for child pornography after Montgomery County investigation
The Montgomery County ICAC Task Force requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service to apprehend Slusher.
He was arrested around 2:30 p.m. and booked into the Montgomery County Jail on a charge of attempt to commit sexual performance by a child under 14, a second-degree felony. His bond was set at $100,000.
In a statement, METRO said Slusher has been suspended without pay and that the agency is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation. METRO leadership called the allegations “deeply disturbing” and said the conduct is in direct opposition to the department’s values and standards.
Anyone with information related to this case or other online child exploitation is urged to contact the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office ICAC Division at 936-539-7800 or Crime Stoppers.