Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Oct. 6 that the Office of the Attorney General’s Fugitive Apprehension Unit has made 18,291 arrests since the division’s inception, according to an agency news release.
The release also said the office has secured hundreds of convictions and arrests of child predators, which the agency described as a reflection of Paxton’s commitment to bringing the full force of the law against criminals.
“Throughout my time as Attorney General, I have fought to find and arrest dangerous fugitives that threaten our communities. This has included putting thousands of fugitives behind bars,” Paxton said. “Additionally, we have secured hundreds of convictions and arrests within my units that are dedicated to combatting child exploitation and human trafficking. I have done everything in my power and will continue to fight relentlessly to protect the children of this state and put dangerous criminals behind bars.”
According to the release, investigators with the Fugitive Apprehension Unit have made more than 18,000 arrests since the division’s inception. The total includes 68 individuals on the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Top 10 Most Wanted List, and the unit has recovered 186 missing and endangered children throughout the state, the office said.
The attorney general’s office also provided figures for other units. The Child Exploitation Unit has made 278 arrests for online solicitation of a minor, resulting in 214 convictions, with many cases still pending, according to the release. The unit has also made 610 arrests for possession of child pornography, resulting in 1,410 convictions, with many cases still pending, the office said. The Human Trafficking Unit has made 373 human trafficking arrests and secured 126 convictions, with several cases still pending, the agency said.
The announcement offers a cumulative look at the work of three units within the attorney general’s office. All figures come from the agency’s news release, which said additional cases in the child exploitation and human trafficking units remain pending.