AUSTIN – Ernest Leroy Smith, 46, a Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive, is now in custody after being captured in Wyoming on Sept. 6. Smith, who is a sexually violent predator, removed his ankle monitor on Aug. 27 and fled from a Houston halfway house. He was wanted for parole violation and failure to comply with civil commitment requirements. The arrest was not the result of a Crime Stoppers tip, and no reward will be paid.
Smith was arrested by the Cheyenne Police Department following a disturbance at a truck stop in Cheyenne, Wyoming. His criminal history includes aggravated sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child and escape.
So far in 2015, DPS and other agencies have arrested 24 Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives and Sex Offenders, including 18 sex offenders, and $56,500 in rewards have been paid for tips that resulted in arrests.
To be eligible for the cash rewards, there are four different ways to provide anonymous tips:
- Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
- Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about, and then clicking on the link under their picture.
- Submit a Facebook tip by clicking the “SUBMIT A TIP” link (under the “About” section).
- Submit a tip through the DPS Mobile App. The app is currently available for iPhone users on the Apple App Store and for Android users on Google Play.
All tips are anonymous – regardless of how they are submitted.
DPS investigators work with local law enforcement agencies to select fugitives for the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive and Sex Offender lists. You can find the current lists – with photos – on the DPS website.
Do not attempt to apprehend these fugitives; they are considered armed and dangerous.
### (HQ 2015-108)