The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has captured two fugitives on the state’s 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List.
The arrests of the two males, Omar David Zavala, 30, and Jorge Dionicio Hernandez, 33, in Mesquite and Houston on Friday, respectively, represent a major step in the ongoing efforts to apprehend those who are a threat to public safety.
Hernandez, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, was taken into custody in Houston by Special Agents from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, and DPS’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID).
Hernandez was accused with indecency with a child by sexual contact in Harris County, and he had been on the wanted list since January 2022.
He was found guilty on several charges of driving under the influence in the same county in 2009, which marks the beginning of his criminal history. Because of his conviction, he was expelled from the United States.
Hernandez, however, unlawfully returned to the nation and was detained once more by the Houston Police Department in July 2021 for presenting a forged identification card and driver’s license. He was released from custody after posting bond, but the police kept looking for him.
Hernandez has been arrested, and the person who provided the information that resulted in his detention will also receive a reward from Crime Stoppers.
This helps law enforcement in their efforts by encouraging anyone who know Hernandez’s whereabouts to come forward. Hernandez’s case serves as a reminder of the persistent issues with illegal immigration and people who return to the country after being expelled for major crimes.
On the same day, Zavala, an illegal immigrant from El Salvador, was apprehended in Mesquite.
To find and capture Zavala, the Dallas Police Department Drone Unit collaborated with DPS Special Agents from the Special Investigations Section in Garland, the Texas Anti-Gang (TAG) center in Houston, the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force, and members of the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force.
Due to accusations of sexual assault, terrorist threats, and obstruction/retaliation in Harris County, Zavala had been evading capture since 2022. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made many arrests against him in 2014, which is included in his criminal history.
Like Hernandez, Zavala entered the country illegally after being deported in 2015. Zavala’s list of criminal convictions was further expanded in May 2020 when he was detained once more by the Houston Police Department for obstruction/retaliation and terroristic threat.
As authorities continue to tighten down on criminal illegal immigrants who have been linked to significant crimes, both men have been apprehended.
The coordinated actions of several law enforcement organizations, such as municipal, state, and federal authorities, show how crucial cooperation is when pursuing those who are a threat to the public.
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Hernandez and Zavala’s arrests also highlight the continued difficulties in dealing with illegal immigration and how it interacts with criminal activity in the US.
