AUSTIN. The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is pleased to announce that 2022 saw the highest number of most wanted criminals in a single year since the program began in 1993. Last year, DPS worked with state, federal, local, and Mexican authorities* to apprehend a record 72 fugitives and sex offenders. This is more than double the previous record set a year earlier.

“Public safety is a top priority in the state of Texas, and I’m proud of the brave DPS fighters and law enforcement partners who contributed to this record-breaking achievement,” Governor Greg Abbott said. “Through the Texas 10 Most Wanted program, our brave men and women in law enforcement have removed the most dangerous criminals from our streets and made our communities safer for all Texans. Texas will always be a state of law and order, and together we will keep it that way.”

In addition to the 72 captures, $88,000 in rewards were paid by anonymous tips that led to the arrests.

“The success of this program has a lot to do with the public talking up and letting law enforcement know the whereabouts of these criminals,” said DPS Director Stephen McCraw. “The public is really demanding cooperation with law enforcement to make our communities and all of us safer. We want to thank all of our law enforcement partners who helped successfully bring these perpetrators to justice.”

Among the 72 people captured in 2022, 34 were convicted of sexual offenses and 24 gang members, the most in the history of the program. In addition to the highest number of seizures ever, the program also set several other new records with the most cleared warrants (220) and the most out-of-state seizures (14). This included arrests in Arkansas, California, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Mexico.

For more information on the fugitives captured in 2022 as part of the Texas 10 Most Wanted program, visit the archive of captured fugitives.

The Texas Crime Enforcement Administration recently awarded Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division (ICT) analysts Hannah Robinson and Adam Unnash, who were included in the Texas 10 Most Wanted program, for their role in making the program a huge success. Each received a thank you note from Gov. Greg Abbott.

Working in conjunction with the DPS Criminal Investigation Unit, Robinson and Unnash provide critical information and analysis to help law enforcement partners across the state and nation catch fugitives on the top 10 most wanted list. Through their tremendous work, these analysts help law enforcement protect and serve their communities by getting wanted criminals off the streets.

DPS investigators are working with local law enforcement to select fugitives for a list of Texas’ top 10 most wanted fugitives and sex offenders who pose the greatest threat to public safety in the state. You can find current listings – with photos – on the DPS website.

Texas Crime Stoppers, funded by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Department, is offering a reward to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of the 10 most wanted fugitives or sex offenders in Texas.

Crime Stoppers programs allow citizens to anonymously report crime information for a monetary reward, helping to put criminals behind bars and assisting in crime reduction efforts.

To be eligible for a monetary rewardtipsters SHOULD provide information to authorities in one of the following three ways:

• Call the Crime Stoppers Helpline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
• Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting a fugitive you have information about and then clicking the link below their photo.
• Submit a tip to Facebook by clicking the “SEND A HINT” link (in the “About” section).

All tips are anonymous – no matter how they are sent. — and tipsters will be given a hint number instead of a name.

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