TSU assistant baseball coach suspended after arrest in sex case

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- An assistant baseball coach at Texas Southern University says he hopes he will not be defined by the arrest that led to his suspension.

Ehren Moreno was among 122 suspects arrested by HPD as part of a crackdown on sex trafficking. Houston police said the arrests happened in the first three months of 2018. Moreno's arrest was announced with the others on Thursday.

Moreno spoke to Eyewitness News Friday night and claims he never exchanged money for sex, and no services were exchanged.

In fact, the coach says he was caught off guard when he was propositioned, and that he found himself at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Moreno said it apparently doesn't take much to be considered soliciting.

Today TSU issued the following statement from their athletics department:

"The University was made aware of the arrest of Ehren Moreno, an assistant baseball coach. Moreno has been suspended from the University and all baseball-related activities as an internal investigation and the legal process continues."

Moreno's attorney told ABC13 reporter Christine Dobbyn his client has received deferred adjudication.

Alan Cohen represents Moreno and describes his client as a "fine gentleman" and said good people make mistakes. He said his client is very regretful of his actions and now that he has received probation wants to move on with his life.

Cohen says Moreno loves his work with the student-athletes and wants to continue coaching at TSU.

Police say the photos are being released to make it known that these crimes will be strongly enforced.

"We hope by publishing these suspects' photos we will raise awareness of the issue that is human trafficking, and put the community on notice that we will no longer tolerate these crimes in our neighborhoods," said Capt. James Dale, of HPD Vice Division.

On Thursday, HPD also announced a partnership with "Love People, Not Pixels," a nonprofit victims' rights group aimed at rehabilitating men from behaviors that enables their patronage in the sex trade.

MORE: Houston's Human Trafficking Problem