CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — The owner of Talbert's Tavern is back in the Nueces County Jail and facing six charges in connection with a sex trafficking ring.
On Friday morning, Amanda Talbert was arrested at a home on the 2000 block of Sandpoint Circle in Port Aransas after a Nueces County Grand Jury found there was enough evidence to pursue charges on four counts of continuous sex trafficking and violence, in addition to the original two counts of indecency with a child with sexual contact.
According to online court records, a warrant was issued for her arrest on Sept. 12.
Talbert's two counts of indecency with a child with sexual contact stems from a case in 2007. Last year, a woman came forward and claimed Talbert paid her and another underage girl $700 to have sex with 80-year-old Noraier George Manassian in 2007 at the Omni Hotel. Both of the alleged victims attended Tuloso-Midway High School at the time and there were other victims involved.
As for the case of continuous trafficking of persons, court documents show two of those charges stem from an alleged incident in February 2012. The others are from April 2012.
On Sept. 13, Talbert's bond was raised to $300,000. Her attorney, Mark Gonzalez has filed a motion to reduce her bond. That motion will be heard in the 347th District Court on Tuesday afternoon.
Her trial has been scheduled for Oct. 21.
No word yet on when Manassian's case will go before a grand jury.
The case is being investigated by the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission and the Texas Attorney General's Office.
