They are always focused on catching the bad guys, but this week the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force honed their efforts to make a huge haul. With 90 officers from 16 agencies, "Operation Heatwave" hit the streets all week hunting down 186 federal and state felony offenders. The result: 186 felony arrests.
The special task force arrested 58-year-old Hector Perez at his home in San Antonio on August 6. They said Perez had pled guilty to charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child in 1994. He was convicted in 2004 for failing to register as a sex offender. An arrest warrant was issued in January 2012 for again failing to register as a sex offender.
Officers said they learned that 23-year-old Richard Solis, was hanging out with his girlfriend in San Antonio. There was a felony warrant out for Solis on charges of super aggravated sexual assault of a child. Investigators said Solis had previously been arrested on charges involving injury to a child, burglary, carrying a prohibited weapon, and discharging a firearm. Operation Heatwave moved in on August 7. But Solis fled out the back door, but officers managed to catch up with him in short order.
Refugio Ortega was arrested by the task force on August 8. The 71-year-old New Braunfels man is facing charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child. Officers said an investigation revealed that the suspect had sexually abused six victims under the age of 14 from 2003 to 2012.
Operation Heatwave also made the following significant arrests:
- Joshua Clowes, 19, probation violation for assault on a public servant; prior arrests include assault bodily injury, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, weapons violations, theft, and evading arrest.
- Matthew Martinez, 20, robbery of a business with a weapon.
- Joshua Murley, 28, impersonating a police officer; prior arrests include possession of marijuana, burglary, and forgery.
- Oscar Torres, 31, continuous sexual assault of a child.
- Sergio Rojas, 32, 3 counts of felony DWI.
- Bobby McDonald, 36, deadly conduct involving discharge of a firearm; prior arrests include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
- Arnulfo Vela, 42, parole violation for manslaughter.
- Ricky Cantu, 45, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon; prior arrests include robbery and resisting arrest.
- Clovis Cooper, 49, indecency with a child involving sexual contact.
Over the course of this assault on crime, Operation Heatwave also:
- 27 warrants cleared for violent offenses
- 43 warrants cleared for drug offenses
- 11 warrants cleared for sex offenses
- 119 warrants cleared for other felony offense
- 2 guns seized
- 1 seizure of 18 grams of marijuana
- 1 seizure of .5 grams of methamphetamines
Agencies participating in Operation Heatwave include:
- Kerrville Police Department
- New Braunfels Police Department
- San Antonio Police Department
- San Antonio ISD Police Department
- Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
- Comal County Sheriff’s Office
- Kerr County Sheriff’s Office Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office
- Bexar County District Attorney’s Office
- Texas Office of the Attorney General
- Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Office of the Inspector General
- Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Homeland Security Investigations , and
- United States Marshals Service.
Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force:
- San Antonio Police Department
- San Antonio Independent School District Police Department
- Bexar County Sheriff’s Office
- Comal County Sheriff’s Office
- Bexar County Fire Marshal’s Office
- Bexar County District Attorney’s Office
- Texas Office of the Attorney General
- Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigations Division
- Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Office of the Inspector General
- U.S. Marshals Service
Want to know about police calls in your area? Go to the Ken5.com interactive crime Map.
