Undocumented immigrant wanted for sexual abuse of child arrested in Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (KWTX) – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has arrested a fugitive in Houston who is on Texas's Top 10 Most Wanted Illegal Immigrants list, days after he was placed on the list.

Jose Miguel Zelaya-Ponce, a 20-year-old Honduran national, was arrested on August 23 in Houston for his involvement in a case of aggravated sexual assault of a child under the age of 14 in July 2024.

Zelaya-Ponce was taken into custody by special agents from the DPS Criminal Investigations Division (CID) assigned to the Texas Anti-Gang (TAG) Center in Houston, with assistance from the Texas Rangers and the Texas Highway Patrol (THP).

Zelaya-Ponce has had several run-ins with the law. In April 2021, he was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection for deporting aliens. He was subsequently granted a restraining order and released.

In June 2024, a final deportation order was issued against Zelaya-Ponce.

Texas Crime Stoppers is funded by the Governor's Office of Public Safety and offers cash rewards to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of one of Texas's Ten Most Wanted illegal immigrants.

So far in 2024, DPS and other agencies have arrested 31 of Texas's top 10 most wanted fugitives, sex offenders and criminal illegal immigrants, including 11 sex offenders, 10 gang members and 4 undocumented immigrants.

To be eligible for cash rewards, individuals with relevant information must contact authorities in one of three ways:

• Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
• Send a web tip via the DPS website Select the fugitive you have information about and then click the link below his or her picture.
• Send a Facebook tip by clicking on the “SUBMIT A TIP” link (in the “Info” section).

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