Eighteen individuals were arrested earlier this month as part of a human trafficking bust by the McLennan Sheriff's Office and Homeland Security, KCEN-TV reported.

Initially, the sheriff's office issued warrants for the arrests of 20 people, 18 of whom were arrested. The remaining two include one who is still at large and one who is out of state but is cooperating, the news agency reported.

"We want this to be a reminder to parents, that with shelter-in-place orders, and schools being closed due to COVID, children are on their digital devices more than ever. Those seeking to exploit them are as well. Parents need to take the time to monitor their children’s social media, as well as who they are talking to," the sheriff's office said on its Facebook page, the news agency reported.

A detective with the office began an online operation in April and in doing so, men either solicited paid sex from children or enticed the children to engage in child pornography, the news agency reported.