The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) announced today that 21 fugitives sought through the Texas 10 Most Wanted Program – including 14 convicted sex offenders – were arrested in 2016 by DPS and other agencies. In addition, $42,500 in rewards was paid for anonymous tips that resulted in arrests last year.
“The Texas 10 Most Wanted program successfully incorporates two powerful resources – law enforcement and the public – to help secure the arrests of fugitives and sexual predators who disregard the rule of law and endanger the public,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “Our state is a safer place because of the outstanding work of local, state and federal law enforcement and the vigilant tipsters who work together to get criminals off the street.”
Of the 21 total apprehensions, 10 arrests were the result of tip information provided by anonymous tipsters; six fugitives were located outside of Texas and extradited either from other states (two fugitives, two sex offenders) or Mexico (one fugitive, one sex offender). In addition, eight of the fugitives apprehended were gang members from the following gangs: Sureño 13, Latin Kings, Aryan Circle, Tango Blast Houstone, Texas Mexican Mafia, Hermandad de Pistoleros Latinos and Aryan Brotherhood of Texas.
“Texans deserve to feel safe in their communities, and the Texas 10 Most Wanted program along with Texas Crime Stoppers have provided a crucial tool that empowers citizens to help solve crimes and ensure justice is served,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who declared January as Crime Stoppers Month in Texas. “We are grateful for the tremendous efforts made by law enforcement organizations and private citizens to combat crime and protect the great state of Texas.”
Texas Crime Stoppers, which is funded by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division, offers cash rewards to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of the Texas 10 Most Wanted fugitives or sex offenders.
For more information on the fugitives captured in 2016 as part of the Texas 10 Most Wanted program, see the captured fugitive archive at: http://www.dps.texas.gov/Texas10MostWanted/captured.aspx.
To be eligible for the cash rewards, tipsters must provide information to authorities using one of the five following methods:
- Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
- Text the letters “DPS” – followed by your tip – to 274637 (CRIMES) from your cell phone.
- Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about, and then clicking on the link under their picture.
- Submit a Facebook tip at http://www.facebook.com/texas10mostwanted by clicking the “SUBMIT A TIP” link (under the “About” section).
- Submit a tip through the DPS Mobile App. The app is currently available for iPhone users on the Apple App Store: (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/texas-dps/id902092368?mt=8) and for Android users on Google Play: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microassist.texasdps&hl=en).
All tips are anonymous – regardless of how they are submitted, and tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name.
DPS investigators work with local law enforcement agencies to select fugitives for the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive and Sex Offender lists. You can find the current lists – with photos – on the DPS website at http://www.dps.texas.gov/texas10mostwanted/.
(News release from DPS)