Athens Mayor Arrested For Online Solicitation Of A Minor, Resigns From Office

UPDATE: Mayor Montgomery has resigned from his position as Mayor "effective immediately" according to KLTV.

Original Story:T

he City of Athens was rocked this morning with the shocking news of the city's mayor being arrested by Longview Police Thursday night.

According to KLTV and The Athens Daily Review, 63 year old Mayor James Montgomery was arrested by Longview Police and booked into the Gregg County Jail for online solicitaion of a Minor and sexual conduct.

Mayor Montgomery got caught up in a multi-agency sting operation which lead to the arrest of 4 people including Montgomery. The Texas DPS Criminal Investigations Division, worked with the Longview Police Department, Gregg County Sheriff’s Office, Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Collin County Sheriff’s Office, FBI, and HSI on the operation that took place Wednesday and Thursday.

The DPS issued the following statement explaining the charges:

Solicitation of a minor involves a defendant asking or engaging in a conversation with a minor and during the course of that conversation, the defendant asks (or solicits) the minor to meet them for the purpose of engaging in a sexual act. Online Solicitation of a Minor under Texas Penal Code Section 33.021 is a felony of the second degree. Second-degree felonies are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. - via Athens Daily Review

Officers posed as minors online and after the suspects solicited them for sex, they would meet the suspects at an undisclosed location to arrest them. Montgomery's bond was set at $300,000 and he bonded out Thursday.

The City Of Athens posted a statement the city's official Facebook page expressing shock in Montgomery's arrest and that the city council was considering all possible actions.

Montgomery is a former Athens City Council member who was re-elected to another 2 year term back on May 1, 2021.