Dallam-Hartley-Sherman Counties Juvenile Probation Department

09/16/2026

🚨 YOUR CHILD MAY THINK THEY’RE PLAYING A GAME—THE PERSON BEHIND THE OTHER SCREEN MAY BE HUNTING FOR A VICTIM

It can begin with one harmless-looking message:

“Want to be friends?”

The stranger laughs at their jokes, helps them win and makes them feel special. Then the questions become personal. The conversation moves somewhere private. A request for a photograph follows—and suddenly, the child who thought they had found a friend is being threatened, manipulated and terrified into silence.

The FBI warns that predators can groom children online in only hours or days. Once an offender obtains a compromising image, the threats may begin: send more, stay silent—or the image will be shared with friends, family and classmates.

The numbers connected to Roblox are deeply troubling:

• Approximately 3,000 suspected child-exploitation reports in 2022
• 13,316 reports in 2023
• 24,522 reports in 2024
• More than 65,000 reports in 2025

A Bloomberg investigation also identified at least 24 people arrested between 2018 and July 2024 for allegedly abducting or abusing children they reportedly met or groomed through Roblox.

These CyberTipline reports are not the same as confirmed victims or convictions, and some may overlap. No authoritative source has established the total number of children victimized through Roblox—which means the full human cost remains unknown.

Behind every legitimate report may be a frightened child who believed they would be punished, embarrassed or blamed.

🙏Please tell your children:

🔹You will not be angry if they come to you.
🔹They are not responsible for an adult’s manipulation.
🔹They should never send additional images or money.
🔹They should save the messages, block the account and ask for help immediately.
🔹Their safety matters more than any mistake they may have made.

🚫Check their privacy settings. Restrict private messages and voice chat. Know who is communicating with them. Watch for secrecy, unexplained gifts, sudden fear or a new “friend” they refuse to discuss.

😡Predators depend on secrecy.

Our children must know that silence protects the offender—not the victim.

Report suspected exploitation at CyberTipline.org. Call 911 if a child is in immediate danger.

Sources: FBI “It’s Not a Game” PSA; NCMEC CyberTipline data; Roblox safety disclosures; U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee; Bloomberg investigation reported by Video Games Chronicle.

09/13/2026

A conversation about ALCOHOL!

Parents, this is a message you need to hear. As a law enforcement officer, I’ve seen firsthand how alcohol plays a role in so many dangerous and heartbreaking situations, particularly in cases of sexual battery. Let’s talk about how you can help your kids navigate these risks.

For Parents of Girls:
- Discuss the Risks: Teach your daughter about the dangers of being in environments where alcohol is present, such as parties, dates, and even in relationships. Alcohol can cloud judgment and lead to situations that spiral out of control.
- Set Strong Boundaries: Help her understand the importance of setting firm, clear, and non-negotiable boundaries—think cement walls with razor wire boundaries. These boundaries should prioritize her safety and well-being.
- Consent Matters: Have meaningful conversations about consent, what it looks like, and how alcohol can impair the ability to give or get consent.
- Watch Out for Friends: Encourage her to look out for her friends and step in to protect them if they’re in a risky situation because of alcohol.
- Role-Play Scenarios: Tabletop different situations your daughter might face involving alcohol. Brainstorm options and strategies for getting out of trouble or staying safe.

For Parents of Boys:
- Talk About Respect: Teach your son the importance of respecting himself and others, especially when alcohol is involved. Alcohol doesn’t excuse bad behavior.
- Understand Consent: Help him understand that consent must be clear, enthusiastic, and can change minute to minute. Alcohol complicates this, but it doesn’t negate the need for respect and awareness and consent.
- Life-Altering Consequences: Be honest about the potential consequences of being accused of sexual assault or battery. Even if alcohol is involved, it doesn’t erase the responsibility or the legal, social, and emotional fallout.
- Protect Their Friends: Encourage your son to watch out for friends who are drinking and might make dangerous or regrettable choices. Being a good friend could prevent a lifetime of regret.

Alcohol is a big deal—let’s treat it like one.

Happy Parenting,
Officer Gomez

09/10/2026

Su***de Prevention Awareness Month: Every Student Matters 💜

College counseling centers do far more than provide therapy appointments. According to a recent article, counseling centers play an essential role in promoting student well-being, academic success, crisis support, prevention efforts, outreach, education, and connection across the entire campus community (Gary et al., 2026.) They are a critical part of helping students feel supported, valued, and empowered to succeed.

While counseling centers are an important resource, supporting student mental health is a shared responsibility. Whether you're a parent, instructor, coach, or mentor, your support can make a meaningful difference.

☎️ If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 for the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.

➡️ Interested in learning more? The Journal of College Student Mental Health is offering free access to select articles throughout September in recognition of Su***de Prevention Awareness Month.

View the article here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/28367138.2025.2583873

***dePreventionAwarenessMonth

08/25/2026

08/04/2026

Taking your v**e to school to share with friends has many consequences. Please make better decisions this school year.

07/26/2026

07/24/2026

🛑 Don't forget to take care of yourself.🛑

On , remember that you can't pour from an empty cup. Your well-being matters, too. By prioritizing your own health, you're better equipped to support the students, families, and communities who count on you every day.

At Tall Cop Says Stop™, we believe prevention starts with healthy, informed people. That's why the Tall Cop Speakers Network is dedicated to providing education that strengthens those on the front lines of prevention.

Take care of yourself so you can continue taking care of others.

Learn more about bringing a Tall Cop Speakers Network expert to your school or community at www.tallcopsaysstop.com.

07/20/2026

A normal Thursday morning in Sumter, South Carolina ended with a mother's scream in her own front yard.

Geoffrey Hauptman kissed his wife goodbye and left for work. Minutes later, he called Betsy and told her to lock the doors. Someone was passed out in the yard. He was calling 911.

Betsy went room to room checking on their six children. She found five.

She ran to the front door to tell her husband Timothy was missing. Geoffrey looked at her. He shook his head. And she screamed.

Timothy Barnett, 13 years old, was lying in the front yard. He was gone.

Security footage from the night before showed Timothy sitting alone in the family car for nearly two hours, frantically scrolling through his phone in the dark. Nobody knew why. Not yet.

Police took his phone and his school Chromebook. Timothy had changed his passcode just before he died, and it took months to crack it.

Eleven weeks passed with no answers. Betsy called investigators twice a week. She drove to the station and refused to leave until someone spoke to her.

Then the truth surfaced.

A stranger with a New York area code had been contacting Timothy through a secret second Snapchat account. That stranger had an explicit photo of Timothy and was demanding $35 every single day to keep it from being posted online.

One of Timothy's last messages read: "Please. I am just a child."

He was a seventh-grade honors student at Alice Drive Middle School. He played baseball, held a yellow belt in karate, and practiced saxophone. His mother said he used to wake up every morning and brew her coffee before she even asked.

He left behind dozens of su***de notes addressed to the people he loved.

Betsy Hauptman has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Snapchat, alleging the platform was designed in a way that made her son easy prey. The case is now part of a massive federal consolidation involving more than 600 lawsuits against social media companies.

The FBI has received over 13,000 reports of online financial sextortion targeting minors. Most victims are young boys. Most of them suffer in silence because they are too ashamed to tell anyone.

Timothy never told a soul.

If your child uses Snapchat or any social media platform, have the conversation tonight. Not tomorrow. Tonight.

And please share this post. Every parent who sees it is one more family that might catch this before it is too late.

04/25/2026

Yesterday we honored a legend. Judge Gordon has been my Judge/Boss for all 28 years, 7 months and 3 days (not that I’m counting) of my Juvenile Probation career. I wish him the very best in his retirement!!
Now we start a new chapter and I’m looking forward to it, I’m also looking forward to following in his footsteps 😉

Every change, even the unwanted ones, is clearing space for something better.”

04/09/2026

And probation officers!!