WESLACO – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) extradited a criminal illegal immigrant wanted for state crimes in the Rio Grande Valley before his impending release from federal custody in Howard Co. earlier this week.
On Monday, June 30, 2025, Misael Valdez-Tellez, 20, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, was taken into custody by DPS at the Federal Corrections Institute in Big Spring. He had been serving time for illegal re-entry following his March 3, 2025, sentence by the United States District Court, Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division.
In 2023, DPS’ Criminal Investigations Division (CID) identified Valdez-Tellez as the suspect driver in a high-speed vehicle pursuit involving a Ford F-250 in Edinburg, Texas. During the pursuit, Valdez-Tellez crashed into another vehicle, injuring the other driver, and fled the scene. DPS Troopers on scene discovered a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun inside the F-250, and that the truck was reported stolen out of Harris Co.
Valdez-Tellez is charged with evading arrest with a motor vehicle, theft of property, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and failure to stop and render aid involving injury. With assistance from DPS’ Aircraft Operations Division (AOD), Valdez-Tellez was transported and booked into the Hidalgo Co. Jail, and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer was placed on him.
###(DPS – South Texas Region)