TexArrest

  • TexArrest Update #1 — Launching the Site Updates Page

    This page serves as the central place where I document what’s happening behind the scenes at TexArrest — site improvements, new features, platform stability updates, data enhancements, and upcoming tools as the project continues to evolve.

    Over the past few weeks, TexArrest has grown from a simple concept into a fully operating platform that now includes:

    • Frequently updated public arrest and booking records
    • Structured offense taxonomy with standardized categories
    • Featured mugshot and record highlighting system
    • Texas Most Wanted profile expansion
    • A companion application under development to support data intake, publishing workflows, and automation

    County Coverage Progress

    • ✅ Travis County is fully indexed and live
    • ✅ Collin County is completed and live
    • 🔄 Williamson County is currently in progress

    For Williamson County, we’ve established a reliable baseline for collecting and normalizing publicly available booking information, and we’re actively validating accuracy, consistency, and long-term stability.

    The booking data format used by Williamson County is shared by many other Texas counties. Once finalized, this allows TexArrest to expand coverage more efficiently while maintaining consistent formatting and classification standards across jurisdictions.

    Known Issue: Offense Taxonomy Classification

    There is a known offense classification issue affecting how certain charges are labeled between counties:

    • Travis County publishes offense descriptions using one format
    • Collin County uses a different labeling structure

    The current taxonomy rules were initially tuned for Travis County, which means some Collin County offenses may be temporarily categorized in less-than-ideal groupings.

    A broader taxonomy refinement is planned after Williamson County is finalized, allowing for standardized offense handling across all supported counties.

    What’s New

    • 🚀 Launched the TexArrest Updates page
    • 🔎 Expanded Texas Most Wanted profiles
    • 🧩 Improved offense taxonomy visual presentation
    • 📱 Continued development of the TexArrest backend application and publishing pipeline

    What’s Next

    • 📸 Automated mugshot processing and featured image assignment
    • 🗂 Faster expansion into additional Texas counties using standardized county templates
    • 📊 Internal analytics dashboard for growth and performance metrics
    • ⚙️ Improved data normalization, duplicate detection, and error handling
    • 🔔 Optional notification features for record updates and platform changes

    TexArrest continues to grow, and this page will remain an ongoing timeline of platform development and improvements. More updates coming soon.

  • Texas Most Wanted: Carlos Jose Ayala Morales — Convicted Sex Offender Wanted for Attempted Indecency with a Child (Reward Up to $5,000)

    Carlos Jose Ayala Morales, a 44-year-old convicted sex offender, is currently listed among the Texas DPS 10 Most Wanted Fugitives following a February 10, 2025 warrant issued out of Harris County, Texas, for Attempted Indecency with a Child by Sexual Contact.

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  • Texas Most Wanted: Stephen Joseph Vess — Fugitive Wanted for Sexual Assault of a Child (Reward Up to $3,000)

    Stephen Joseph Vess, a 39-year-old fugitive, is currently listed on the Texas DPS 10 Most Wanted for Sexual Assault of a Child and Possession of Child Pornography. Vess has longstanding ties to Rockwall County and the city of Mabank, Texas, and is considered armed and dangerous.

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  • Texas Most Wanted: Ernest Christopher Nathan — Murder Suspect with Multi-State Criminal History (Reward Up to $5,000)

    Ernest Christopher Nathan, a 45-year-old fugitive, is wanted by Texas authorities following a Failure to Appear warrant issued on February 29, 2024, tied to an original Murder – Firearm charge. Nathan was previously arrested by Houston Police Department for Murder and Evading Arrest with a Vehicle on October 4, 2022, but was released on bond the next day and has since absconded.

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  • Texas Most Wanted: Raul Herrera Jr. — Violent Offender with Aggravated Sexual Assault & Weapons Warrants (Reward Up to $7,500)

    Raul Herrera Jr., a 53-year-old fugitive from the Rio Grande Valley, is currently listed among the Texas DPS Top 10 Most Wanted. He is wanted on multiple Hidalgo County felony warrants, including Aggravated Sexual Assault, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Assault Causing Bodily Injury, and Violation of Bond/Protective Order.

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  • Texas Most Wanted: Elijah Turner Reyes — Murder Suspect & Documented Piru Gang Member (Up to $7,500 Reward)

    Elijah Turner Reyes, a 24-year-old Texas fugitive, is currently listed on the Texas DPS Top 10 Most Wanted following a May 22, 2025 murder warrant issued in El Paso, Texas. Reyes is a documented Piru (Bloods) gang member with a violent criminal history that includes Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Assault of a Pregnant Person, and Assault of a Peace Officer/Judge.

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  • Texas Most Wanted: Miguel Ángel Gomez — Murder Suspect & Convicted Sex Offender (Up to $7,500 Reward)

    Miguel Ángel Gomez, a 51-year-old Texas fugitive, is currently one of the Texas DPS Top 10 Most Wanted and is sought on a 2022 Murder warrant issued out of Harris County, Texas. Gomez is also wanted for a Parole Violation stemming from his prior conviction for Sexual Assault of a Child.

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  • Understanding Arrest Records

    Arrest records are a form of public information created when a person is taken into custody by a law enforcement agency. These records document a booking event, not a final legal outcome. Understanding what an arrest record represents — and what it does not — is essential when reviewing criminal justice information.

    What Is an Arrest Record?

    An arrest record reflects that an individual was detained and processed by a law enforcement agency. It typically includes identifying information, the date of arrest, the arresting agency, and the charge descriptions provided at the time of booking.

    Importantly, an arrest record does not determine guilt or innocence. It documents that an arrest occurred, not how a case was resolved.

    Arrest vs. Charge vs. Conviction

    These terms are often confused but have distinct meanings:

    • Arrest: A person is taken into custody by law enforcement.
    • Charge: An alleged offense recorded during the booking process.
    • Conviction: A legal determination of guilt made by a court.

    An arrest may result in charges being filed, modified, or dismissed. A conviction occurs only if a court formally adjudicates the case. Many arrests do not result in convictions.

    Why Arrest Records Are Public in Texas

    In Texas, arrest records are generally considered public information because they are created by government agencies in the course of official duties. Transparency in law enforcement activities is a foundational principle of public records laws.

    Public access to arrest records allows the public to understand law enforcement activity, monitor government processes, and access historical information. This access exists independently of the outcome of any related court case.

    Booking Information vs. Case Outcomes

    Arrest records are created at the time of booking, often before a case has been reviewed by prosecutors or the courts. As a result, booking information may differ from later court filings or final dispositions.

    TexArrest publishes booking events obtained from publicly available government sources. These records do not represent convictions, sentencing decisions, or the current status of a case.

    Dismissed, Pending, or Reduced Charges

    Cases may be dismissed, remain pending, or result in reduced charges for many reasons, including evidentiary issues, procedural matters, or prosecutorial discretion. These outcomes do not retroactively change the fact that an arrest occurred.

    Because arrest records document historical booking events, they may remain publicly accessible even if a case is later dismissed or resolved without a conviction.

    Accuracy and Corrections

    Arrest records are sourced directly from law enforcement and government systems. While these sources are considered authoritative, errors may occur. Individuals who believe a record contains inaccurate information may request a review through TexArrest’s official record review process.

    Corrections address factual inaccuracies. Removal of records occurs only when legally required, such as through a valid court order.

    This information is provided for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.