Hearth Chief Used ‘Hookup App’ to Rent Man to Rape Lady, Claims It Was Her ‘Fantasy’

In response to courtroom docket paperwork obtained by WFAA, Everman Fireside Division Deputy Chief Joel Jones, 53, goes by way of one rely of aggravated sexual assault and two counts of felony solicitation of a felony – one for aggravated sexual assault and one different for aggravated kidnapping. He’s at current locked up on the Lon Evans Corrections Center with a $300,000 bond, after Fort Worth police cuffed him on March 26.

Moreover implicated throughout the alleged crimes is 30-year-old Tobasia Griffiths, who was the first to be arrested on March 21. Griffiths is charged with one rely of aggravated sexual assault, nevertheless has since posted his $25,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

In response to the arrest warrants obtained by the outlet, Jones allegedly conspired with Griffiths to sexually assault a Fort Worth woman on February 21, whereas moreover plotting a follow-up assault involving a kidnapping.

Per the affidavit, the sufferer was asleep in her mattress when Griffiths allegedly appeared in her doorway, threatening to rape her. A bodily wrestle ensued, all through which the sufferer said she verbally protested. No matter her lack of consent, Griffiths allegedly proceeded with the sexual assault. She escaped by saying she needed to utilize the rest room, then fleeing the residence.

Griffiths later found the half-dressed sufferer on the highway, per the docs, pulled up in his car, and allegedly “threatened her that he would return and finish the job and kill her if she known as police” — based mostly on FOX 4. She then allegedly known as Jones, who known as police and took her to the hospital.

Detectives reportedly acknowledged Griffiths after the sufferer — who allegedly took concentrate on his license plate — provided an overview of every the suspect and his car.

All through questioning after his arrest, Griffiths allegedly knowledgeable detectives he met an individual later acknowledged as Jones on the hookup app Sniffies.

“Jones approached Griffiths on the app and requested if he may very well be ready to have a sexual assault operate play experience with [the victim],” reads the affidavit. “Griffiths acknowledged that Jones said [the victim] was into it, and wanted to do this, so he agreed.”

Griffiths allegedly claimed Jones knowledgeable him the sufferer had consented to the act and was open to it, no matter any resistance she may current. He said Jones moreover provided him with the sufferer’s deal with, storage code, day and time she’d be alone and the scenario of her mattress room.

He moreover claimed he believed “it was all part of the act and the fantasy,” until Jones allegedly knowledgeable him police have been involved. The sufferer nonetheless, knowledgeable police she didn’t know one thing just a few “sexual assault operate play experience” and denied giving consent.

The arrest warrant moreover reportedly states that Jones allegedly despatched Griffiths $100 by the use of Zelle for his participation throughout the assault.

Alleged messages between the two males included throughout the arrest warrant counsel that following the preliminary assault, a second assault was deliberate for February 25, doubtlessly involving totally different of us. One message allegedly talked about that the “subsequent plan is to have her kidnapped.”

On the twenty fifth, neighbors reportedly known as 911 after recognizing an unidentified specific particular person showing suspiciously throughout the sufferer’s residence and following her.

Arrest warrants for every Jones and Griffiths have been issued on March 26. Police arrested Jones the similar day, whereas Griffiths was apprehended on March 29.

Following Jones’ arrest, Everman Fireside Chief Landon Whatley confirmed that Jones was immediately positioned on administrative go away pending the outcomes of an inside investigation, which is able to possible be separate from the Fort Worth Police Division’s investigation.

“The character of the allegations and bills are deeply relating to,” Whatley said in an announcement. “Division command staff is totally cooperating with the Fort Worth Police Division as they look at this incident… We want to assure most people that we take points akin to this terribly considerably.”

Jones’ arrest moreover comes as a shock to his Forth Worth neighbors, who say the suspect had simply recently gone door-to-door warning just a few sexual predator on the unfastened — this after the preliminary incident.

“Now we have been knowledgeable it was one other particular person scoping the neighborhood,” said neighbor James Martinez per WFAA.

“Mr. Jones and some lady received right here knocking on my door, talked to my partner saying there’s a car out, preserve your children inside,” he added, telling the outlet that he and his partner in the meanwhile are upgrading their security system to actually really feel safe.

“You hear any person is throughout the fireside division, you may need a extreme stage of respect,” Martinez said. “Merely to see that he’s doing these things makes you marvel, should you can not perception the fireplace division?”

“That’s your property. That’s your bubble. You want to be cosy and to have that popped, it’s a rude awakening,” he added.

The Nationwide Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline — 800.656.HOPE (4673) — offers free, 24/7 assist for these in need.