Texas law enforcement has already nabbed the number one fugitive on its “10 Most Wanted Illegal Immigrants” list just days after it launched.
The Texas Department of Public Safety apprehended Victor Hugo Chox Gonzalez, a 38-year-old Mexican national wanted for aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact, on Thursday, according to an announcement by the agency. Following his arrest by DPS special agents, Gonzalez was booked into the Tarrant County Jail.
Gonzalez has a long criminal history in Tarrant County, according to Texas authorities.
He was deported from the U.S. in 2016 after being convicted of a DUI with a chid in the car and assaulting a family member, the press release reads. He was also arrested for assault in 2021, and a warrant was issued for his arrest in 2023 for aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact.
The arrest marks a win for GOP Gov. Greg Abbott, who touted the launch of the “most wanted” criminal illegal immigrant list earlier this month.
“When President Joe Biden took office, he dismantled every effective border policy his predecessor put into place,” Abbott said on June 5. “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 continued. “Texas is a law-and-order state, and with the help of our fellow Texans, we will ensure that the illegal immigrants on this list are taken off our streets and put behind bars to keep our communities safe.”
Gonzalez is one of two illegal immigrants on the top 10 list that are now in custody, according to Texas law enforcement.
The other individual, Servando Trejo Duran, Jr., was on the run for murder with a deadly weapon, according to the list. The other illegal immigrants featured have been convicted or charged with a litany of heinous crimes, many of them pertaining to sexual abuse or sexual assault of children.
Launched in partnership with the Texas Department of Public Safety, the new program is designed to locate and arrest individuals who are living in the U.S. unlawfully and are repeat offenders of dangerous crimes committed in Texas, according to the governor’s press release. The initiative also offers cash rewards to any person who offers information that leads to the apprehension of the most wanted illegal immigrants.
The list is the latest in Abbott’s effort to crackdown on illegal immigration. The Republican governor launched Operation Lone Star in 2021, which is an initiative that has deployed Texas National Guard troops to the border and bussed tens of thousands of illegal migrants into various sanctuary cities across the country.
