On Gov. Greg Abbott’s list of the top 10 most wanted criminal illegal aliens in Texas, the majority are wanted for sex crimes involving a child.
The list was released on Wednesday by the governor’s office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and Texas Crime Stoppers in a collective initiative to raise awareness and encourage information-sharing. Cash rewards are offered to those who come forward.
“Criminals from around the world who enter the United States illegally and commit crimes in Texas are a threat to public safety,” said DPS Director Steve McCraw in a news release. “Individuals on Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List are likely to commit other crimes, and DPS is enlisting the public’s help in apprehending these offenders before they commit additional crimes.”
Abbott used the opportunity provided by the most wanted list to once again lambast the Biden administration’s action on the border.
“When President Joe Biden took office, he dismantled every effective border policy his predecessor put into place,” said Abbott in a release. “As a result, we have seen record high levels of illegal immigration, including dangerous criminals and terrorists who are a threat to the public safety of our state and our nation. These illegal immigrants will now be spotlighted on our 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List.”
Abbott called Texas a “law-and-order state,” promising that the authorities would continue to take “unprecedented action” to protect Texans from such dangerous offenders. This sentiment was reiterated in a post on X announcing the list.
“Texas will get these illegal immigrants off our streets and put them behind bars,” wrote Abbott.
The 10 illegal aliens were last seen in towns across Texas, from Irving to Austin to Houston. Eight out of 10 of the criminals are wanted for alleged sex crimes, seven of which were committed against children.
The wanted criminals are as follows:
- Victor Hugo Chox Gonzalez: Wanted for aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child by sexual contact, failure to identify/give false/fictitious information.
- Luis Perez Mendoza: Wanted for indecency with a child by sexual contact, probation violation, and assault of a public servant (original offense).
- Francisco Alexis Ventura: Wanted for continuous sex abuse of child under age 14.
- Omar David Zavala: Wanted for sexual assault, terroristic threat, and obstruction/retaliation.
- Willean Alexander Berrios Ulloa: Wanted for aggravated sexual assault of a child and burglary of a habitation with intent to commit another felony.
- Salvador Cortez Vasquez: Wanted for aggravated sexual assault of a child and sexual assault of a child.
- Jorge Dionicio Hernandez: Wanted for indecency with a child by sexual contact.
- Oscar Oswaldo Madrid Cartagena: Wanted for sexual assault.
- Gilberto Castro Zubiate: Wanted for two counts of attempting to commit smuggling of persons for pecuniary (financial) benefit.
The final wanted criminal, Servando Trejo Duran Jr., was captured on Thursday, the day after the list was released. After serving just over two decades of a life sentence for murder with a deadly weapon, he was released on parole in 2009 and deported. But in February 2023, he was found back in Texas when he was arrested for tampering with a government record. As this was a crime committed while he was on parole, a warrant was issued for parole violation in March 2023.
DPS Special Agents are working with both local and federal law enforcement agencies to capture the wanted fugitives. DPS warns the public not to attempt to apprehend the criminals themselves, as they are likely armed and dangerous.
