Former Houston County Deputy Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation
TYLER, TEXAS — A former Houston County sheriff’s deputy plead guilty to federal child exploitation offenses, according to U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Skyler Douglas Laza, 34, entered a guilty plea on July 27, 2026, to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. Federal investigators say Laza, previously a licensed peace officer, persuaded a child younger than 12 on at least two occasions to engage in sexually explicit conduct so he could record the abuse on a cell phone.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Laza faces 40 to 60 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release and mandatory sex‑offender registration. The final sentence will be determined by the court after a presentence investigation conducted by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and online abuse. The program coordinates federal, state, and local agencies to identify offenders, rescue victims, and strengthen digital crime investigations.
The investigation included:
- Homeland Security Investigations
- Dallas Police Department
- Texas Department of Public Safety
- Palestine Police Department
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek is prosecuting the case. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled once the pre-sentencing investigation is complete.
