Highland Village fire chief arrested for solicitation, resisting arrest – Cross Timbers Gazette | Southern Denton County | Flower Mound

As part of an “operation to suppress the demand for prostitution” in Lewisville, the Denton County Sheriff’s Office arrested 14 men on Thursday – including the chief of the Highland Village Fire Department – for solicitation of prostitution, a crime punishable by prison time.

“The operation was aimed at suppressing prostitution in our community by arresting offenders seeking to purchase sexual favors for money,” the DCSO said in a press release. “Evidence of other individuals engaging in prostitution was also found and these are being pursued by the DCSO Human Trafficking Unit.”

The Tarrant County and Grayson County Sheriff’s Offices assisted DCSO in the operation, as did police departments in Lewisville, Argyle and Arlington.

Jason Collier, Highland Village’s fire chief since the summer of 2022, was also charged with resisting arrest, according to DCSO. Before being appointed fire chief, Collier served as deputy fire chief with the HVFD from 2008 to 2022.

A spokesperson for the city of Highland Village said in a statement that the city acted in accordance with personnel policy and placed Collier on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.