The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

A sex offender wanted on 18 counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child is behind bars after his arrest last night at an international bridge in El Paso.

An investigation by DPS Criminal Investigations Division agents and the U.S. Marshals Service—aided by two tipsters—located 51-year-old Jose Manuel Vasquez in Porvenir, Mexico. Mexican authorities apprehended Vasquez and turned him over to DPS and the Marshals Service at the Stanton Street Port of Entry. The $3,000 cash reward will be the most ever paid out for a Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender arrest.

Vasquez ultimately will be transported to Potter County and is wanted in both Potter and Randall counties on a variety of charges, including the 18 counts of sexual assault against children ages seven to nine. In addition to the sexual assault charges, Vasquez was also wanted for failure to register as a sex offender and for violating probation after an indecency with a child conviction.

Each tipster will receive $1,500 from Texas Crime Stoppers, which is funded by the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor’s Office.

The 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders are available on the DPS website at http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/wanted/sexoffenders/topTenSexOffenders.htm# and have last known addresses in the following cities:

· Houston (three)

· El Paso

· Austin

· Lufkin

· Grand Prairie

· Whitney

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The public should not try to apprehend these criminals as they are considered dangerous. Anyone with information on these offenders can provide anonymous tips in three different ways:

· 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 tip through the DPS website by selecting the sex offender you have information about, and under their picture is a link to submit a web tip.

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The program identifies violent sex offenders who have either violated parole or failed to comply with sex offender registration.