HOWE, Texas (KXII) – Three north Texas volunteer firefighters have been arrested on child sex crime charges after an investigation by the Texas Rangers.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said that Howe Police asked the Texas Rangers to investigate allegations of inappropriate conduct by members of the Howe Volunteer Fire Department.
After an investigation by the Texas Rangers, David Perez and Dalton McCaslin were both arrested on three counts of sexual assault of a child, and Joshua Ryals was arrested for two counts of indecency with a child sexual contact. The three men were booked into the Grayson County Jail on Thursday.
The City of Howe and the City of Melissa have each issued statements about the situation that can be found below:
“The City of Howe is aware of recent events related to Howe Volunteer Fire Department. The City of Howe and the Howe Police Department were made aware of serious allegations regarding inappropriate conduct involving Howe Volunteer Fire Department. No City employee was directly involved. These matters did not involve any patient. Upon learning of the allegations, there was immediate attention and response. After initial investigation by the Howe Police Department, the Texas Rangers were contacted for assistance early so that any review of the issues would be by an independent source with highly skilled investigators. The City of Howe and Howe Police Department have cooperated with an ongoing investigation by the Texas Rangers. The actions of the City of Howe and the Howe Police Department were intended to stop any improper action, preserve the integrity of the investigation and to respect the privacy of those coming forward. This matter involves protected information including an ongoing criminal investigation, privacy matters, and confidential information. To protect the privacy of all parties involved and to avoid any interference with the ongoing matters, the City and Howe Police Department cannot provide further details at this time. We are committed to keeping our community informed as appropriate while adhering to legal and ethical guidelines.”
“The City of Melissa is aware of the arrest of a former member of the Melissa Fire Department in connection with allegations of indecency with a child sexual contact. The individual resigned prior to the arrest and is no longer employed by the City. The arrest was made by the Texas Rangers at the request of the City of Howe Police Department. This is an active investigation being handled by an outside agency. The City of Melissa is not involved in that investigation and will defer all questions to the appropriate investigating agency. The City of Melissa takes the safety and well-being of minors seriously and remains committed to maintaining the trust of the community it serves.”
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