The Texas Department of Public Safety has added two new child sex offenders to its 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List, intensifying efforts to capture these dangerous individuals amid mounting concerns over border security and public safety.
The Texas Department of Public Safety has added two child sex offenders to the state's 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List, replacing two previously listed individuals who were recently apprehended.
DPS officials have named Fabian Martinez Toribio and Octavio Cruz Hernandez to the list, both of whom have connections to Central Texas.
Fabian Martinez Toribio, 25, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, has been wanted by the Austin Police Department since January 2024 for aggravated sexual assault of a child. In February 2024, a warrant was also issued for his arrest in Travis County for possession of a controlled substance. Martinez Toribio has a history of arrests, including a 2018 conviction for entry without inspection and an October 2023 arrest for resisting arrest and possession of a controlled substance. He is 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighs about 150 pounds, and has ties to Austin and Pflugerville in Travis County.
Octavio Cruz Hernandez, 32, also a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, has been wanted in Bastrop County since April 2024 for sexually abusing a child under 14. He was convicted in September 2019 for driving while intoxicated with a child under 15 years of age in Travis County and was deported the following month. In July 2022, Cruz Hernandez was arrested and convicted again for driving while intoxicated. He is 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighs about 145 pounds, and has ties to Austin, Kyle, Dripping Springs, and Cedar Creek in Travis, Hays, and Bastrop counties.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the creation of the list to involve the public in apprehending these dangerous criminals. The list includes individuals wanted for crimes such as indecency with a child, aggravated sexual assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse of a child, sexual assault, burglary with intent to commit another felony, and attempted smuggling of persons for pecuniary benefit.
Governor Abbott criticized President Joe Biden's border policies, stating, "When President Joe Biden took office, he dismantled every effective border policy his predecessor put into place. 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. 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," Abbott added. "Texas will continue to take unprecedented action to protect Texans and our state from President Biden’s border crisis."
During his speech at the Republican National Convention on July 17, Governor Abbott emphasized Texas' role in defending the border with Mexico amid what he called a lack of enforcement from President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
"The president’s most sacred duty is to protect our country," Abbott said to a cheering crowd. "Joe Biden has deserted his duty. He gutted President Trump’s policies on his first day in office. The result has been catastrophic."