Dallas Police Officer Arrested Monday in Prostitution Suppression Sting

A longtime Dallas Police Department officer has been placed on administrative leave after being arrested during an undercover prostitution suppression operation Monday, authorities said.

Senior Cpl. Zachary Helm, a 20-year veteran of the department, is charged with solicitation of prostitution, a state jail felony under Texas law.

According to an arrest affidavit, Helm was taken into custody around 1:30 p.m. Monday at the La Quinta Inn & Suites in the 2400 block of Walnut Hill Lane.

The operation was conducted by the Dallas Police Department's Special Investigations Division Human Trafficking Unit in partnership with federal law enforcement agencies as part of an effort to combat the commercial sex market and human trafficking.

Investigators said an undercover agent with Homeland Security Investigations responded to a phone call from Helm after he allegedly contacted a decoy online advertisement posted on a website that authorities say is commonly used to facilitate commercial sex and human trafficking.

According to the affidavit, the recorded phone conversation included an agreement in which Helm allegedly offered to pay $140 in exchange for sexual acts.

Authorities said Helm traveled to the designated meeting location, where he was arrested as part of the undercover operation.

Following his arrest, the Dallas Police Department placed Helm on administrative leave pending the outcome of both the criminal case and an internal administrative investigation.

The department has not released additional information regarding Helm's employment status or whether he has retained legal representation.

The investigation remains ongoing.