Highland Village fire chief arrested in prostitution sting

UPDATE (6/15/24): Chief Collier is no longer employed by the City of Highland Village.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Denton County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday arrested 14 men in a prostitution sting in Lewisville — including the Highland Village Fire Department chief — for solicitation of a prostitute, a state jail felony.

Jason Collier, Highland Village fire chief since summer 2022, was also charged with resisting arrest, according to the DCSO.

“The operation was designed to suppress prostitution in our community by arresting offenders attempting purchase of sexual favors for money,” the DCSO said in a news release. “Leads on other persons engaging in prostitution were also developed and being followed up on” by the DCSO’s Human Trafficking Unit.

The Tarrant County and Grayson County sheriff’s offices assisted the DCSO with the operation, as did the police departments in Lewisville, Argyle and Arlington.

Before he was named fire chief, Collier had been an assistant fire chief with the HVFD from 2008-22.

In a statement on Saturday, a spokesperson for the city of Highland Village said that Collier had resigned. “On June 13, the City of Highland Village was made aware Fire Chief Jason Collier was arrested for Solicitation of Prostitution and Resisting Arrest. The Denton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating. The City, acting according to City personnel policies, placed Collier on paid administrative leave. Effective June 15, 2024, Collier submitted his resignation and is no longer employed by the City of Highland Village.”