THE LONE STAR FUGITIVE TASK FORCE PARTNERS WITH THE VAL VERDE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE AND THE DALLAS-FORT WORTH FUGITIVE APPREHENSION STRIKE TEAM ON ARREST OF SEX OFFENDER

Del Rio/Dallas – The Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, the Dallas-Fort Worth Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team, and the Val Verde County Sheriffs Office combined forces to arrest Ismael Ortiz III on the afternoon of March 8, 2007.

The Val Verde County Sheriffs Office recently requested the assistance of the United States Marshals Service led Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in locating and apprehending Ortiz. Ismael Ortiz III was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15 yr old female in 2003 in Val Verde County. Ortiz has since failed to comply with Registering as a Sex Offender. He has been a fugitive since October 2005.

Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force and the Val Verde County Sheriffs Office were able to determine a location in the Dallas area for Ortiz and the Dallas-Fort Worth Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team was contacted for assistance. Upon the Strike Team’s arrival at Ortiz’s residence, he fled inside the home and hid in the attic. The Dallas Police Department SWAT team was called in and after an hour standoff, Ortiz was arrested.

The United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas LaFayette Collins said, “The lengths this fugitive chose to escape justice ended the way it should have. The good guys went home and the bad guy went to jail.”

Participating Agencies: Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, Dallas-Fort Worth Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team, Val Verde County Sheriffs Office and the Dallas PD SWAT.