WATCH: Key Pentagon Official BUSTED On Camera In Human Trafficking Sting

Stephen Hovanic, a high-ranking official at the Pentagon, was recently arrested in a human trafficking sting operation, and the incident was even captured on camera.

Hovanic, who served as the chief of staff for the Americas division in the Department of Defense Education Activity, was responsible for overseeing the education of military dependents.

The case gains particular gravity due to the nature of the allegations and the position of trust Hovanic held. The Waco County Sheriff’s Office’s release of motel video footage showing Hovanic’s conduct during the sting operation on November 15th starkly contrasted with his assertion of seeking only a massage.

The arrest is part of a larger law enforcement effort against human trafficking. The operation, which led to the arrest of 26 individuals, focused on dismantling networks of human trafficking by targeting both the demand and supply sides of this illegal trade.

NEW: Pentagon official Stephen Francis Hovanic reportedly arrested in a human trafficking sting in Georgia where over 2 dozen people were arrested for pandering, drug possession, prostitution & pimping.

It gets worse. Hovanic worked for the Department of Defense, specifically… pic.twitter.com/EJvxep2BCj

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) November 22, 2023

Fox 5 Atlanta reported:

Deputies say when Hovanic entered the room, he removed his sunglasses, and placed them next to a package of condoms that investigators had staged in the room.

Deputies charged Hovanic with pandering, which is misdemeanor solicitation of sex.

According to the military publication Stars and Stripes, the DoDEA is aware of the charge and says he is currently on leave. FOX 5’s calls to the agency have not been returned, but his bio is no longer available on the agency’s website.

The two-day operation targeted both “johns” and those offering sex for sale. Law enforcement officials says they also identified six potential victims of human trafficking.

Hovanic, an honorably discharged veteran who attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, began his academic career in 1982 as a high school vocational teacher, coach, and school administrator for Virginia public schools, according to his DODEA biography.

He joined DODEA in 1996 as an assistant principal at Quantico Middle-High School and later served as principal of Dahlgren Unit School.

The mishap is another black eye for the Biden administration which last month fired an immigration official who celebrated the killing of Israelis by Hamas. Sam Brinton, the disgraced, non-binary former Homeland Security employee accused of stealing women’s clothing from airport luggage, was recently levied with more charges.