Man accused in sex trafficking ring sent 600 messages while in custody: Prosecutor

There are several new developments in the alleged sex trafficking operation dismantled last week in a quiet Plano neighborhood.

Federal prosecutors revealed one of the alleged ring leaders, 40-year-old William McKinnley Garland, while in jail sent hundreds of messages to people involved in the case using a tablet provided to him.

Garland appeared in U.S. District Court in Plano late Tuesday morning. The Plano resident faces federal charges, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and/or coercion and coercion.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller informed Magistrate Judge Kim Johnson that Garland was permitted a tablet in jail and used it to send approximately 600 messages to people, including co-defendants in the case.

Miller requested the tablet be taken away. Johnson immediately granted the request and warned Garland he could not contact co-defendants, potential witnesses, and victims in the case.

Garland did not dispute sending the messages but told Johnson he did not know the restrictions until Tuesday.

Garland is being held in the Fannin County Jail, according to a U.S. Attorney’s Office spokesperson.

NBC 5 asked how and why the accused sex trafficker was allowed the electronic device.

A spokesperson said several county jails have tablets available for inmates to use.

The decision regarding why Garland was allowed the electronic device was left up to the U.S. Marshals Service.

Before this revelation, the judge granted Garland’s high-profile defense attorney, Michael Price II, to withdraw as his attorney. Price filed a motion to withdraw, citing a prior attorney-client relationship with the defendant.

Price added he did not previously know the type of charges being filed and did not know about the underlying factual allegations.

Price had not received funds for legal fees when he filed the motion, further stating: "Due to the nature, complexity voluminous discovery and continued detention of defendant, counsel respectfully requests to withdraw his representation in this matter."

The court will appoint Garland an attorney for his detention and arraignment hearing, which will be rescheduled for Thursday.

A third alleged suspect in the large bust appeared for the first time in court Tuesday.

Anastasiya Claire Lyons, aka Frosty, is charged in the Eastern District of Texas with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion between 2015 and December of this year, according to online court documents.

The years-long investigation by local and federal police culminated in the early morning raid on Garland’s home along Sowerby Drive in Plano.

Neighbors told NBC 5 they felt something nefarious was happening at the house. They described a revolving door of young women coming and going, large bags brought in and out of the house in the middle of the night, and reported constantly seeing different luxury vehicles stopping by the house.

Neighbors noted that Garland maintained a low profile and was never loud or disruptive.

Several neighbors do remember agents with the Texas Rangers and SWAT officers descending onto the same house about two years ago but leaving without making arrests.

The 40-year-old and others are accused of recruiting young women to work as escorts, then once enticed, forcing them into ‘performing commercial sex by Garland, or those working under his direction, often through violence or threats of violence,’ according to a press release released following the raid which federal authorities describe as a ‘years-long investigation.’

A female alleged accomplice facing federal coercion charges appeared in court last week, as did 24-year-old Jalen Bobo who pleaded not guilty to conspiring to commit sex trafficking and coercion charges.

The family of a woman they claim was coerced by Garland for years attended Tuesday’s proceedings and told NBC 5 "this should have happened a long time ago" describing Garland as a dangerous man.

Detectives believe others worked for or came across the criminal organization and urge them to contact the Plano Police Department at 972-941-2044.