A man who worked as a political director at one of Texas‘ biggest anti-abortion advocacy groups, Texas Right to Life, has been arrested after being trapped by an online sting targeting pedophiles, cops say.
Bowen allegedly ‘knowingly’ solicited a minor online ‘with the intent’ of engaging ‘in sexual contact or sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse.’
His attempts to meet with the child were actually part of an undercover police sting, and there was never any danger to any underage person, cops say.
Authorities said Lucas ‘Luke’ Bowen was arrested ‘on scene,’ meaning they had enough evidence from his online exchanges they could arrest him without a warrant.
Bowen has since been fired from Texas Right to Life, which has also begun scrubbing mentions of him from its website.
While the former political director and treasurer participated in programs aimed at encouraging college students to become pro-life advocates, a spokesperson for the organization said ‘he was not involved with minors in our youth programs.’
Bowen was charged on August 3 with the second-degree felony, and could face up to 20 years in prison.
Lucas Bowen, a political director for Texas Right to Life, was arrested on charges of soliciting sex from a minor online after a sting operation was conducted
Bowen, who is still seen in seen on the group’s website in pictures like this, also served as a treasurer before he was terminated on August 3 following his arrest
Along with serving as a political director, Bowen gave speeches on behalf of Texas Right to Life and participated in youth programs
Bowen’s lawyer reportedly defended his client by saying ‘this investigation revolves around a fictitious alleged minor created by law enforcement and posted on the Internet. There is not a real victim in the case.’
Court records show that Bowen pleaded not guilty to the solicitation charge on August 16 and will appear before the court again on September 22.
A spokesperson for the group said he was terminated from his position on August 3.
Bowen was caught and charged after a sting operation run by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force program, said Montgomery County First Assistant District Attorney Mike Holley.
Holly said Bowen’s arrest happened ‘on the scene,’ which means Bowen’s actions when talking to officers posing as children provided enough evidence to arrest him without a warrant.
ICAC calls itself a “national network of 61 coordinated task forces, representing over 5,400 federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Texas Right to Life is known to donate heavily to anti-abortion candidates and encourages youths to volunteer for campaigns
Bowen spoke to college-age students and encouraged them to get involved in campaigns for anti-abortion candidates
Bowen was a vocal higher-up at Texas Right to Life, giving speeches and interviews on behalf of the organization and also served as the organization’s treasurer.
The group is one of the premier anti-abortion groups in the country and is known for setting anti-abortion goals and agendas for other states as well as donating large sums to anti-abortion candidates.
Last year, they set up a website urging people to secretly become ‘pro-life whistleblowers’ and report on suspected illegal abortions they could then sue over. –
The pro-life outfit is known to run ‘boot camps’ for budding anti-abortion activists, and Bowen was reported to have been involved in these.
A now-deleted press release from 2018 says Bowen spoke to college-age students and encouraged them to get involved in campaigns for anti-abortion candidates.