82-year-old Arizona fugitive captured in Texas 2 decades after conviction for child sex crimes

An 82-year-old fugitive convicted of child sex crimes in Arizona nearly 20 years ago was captured last week in Texas, where he was living under an assumed name, authorities said.

Jesse Rodriguez’s cover was blown after he was pulled over for a traffic violation on Aug. 12, according to the Bexar County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office.

The deputy constable who stopped Rodriguez received an alert on his mobile computer about a possible match with a fugitive wanted for felony child sex crimes in Maricopa County.

The driver identified himself as Jesus Ruben Rodriguez. He told the deputy constable he lived in an Arizona trailer park at the time of the crimes but denied involvement, according to the constable’s office.

Despite the similarities, authorities were unable to confirm a match at the time and released the driver with a written warning for the traffic violation.

The deputy constable continued looking into the case and learned that Jesse Rodriguez’s crimes were committed at a trailer park. The deputy constable then confirmed the match after receiving new information from Maricopa County officials on Sept. 3.

Arizona fugitive admitted his identity after being arrested, authorities said

The next day, deputy constables found Rodriguez at his San Antonio home, where he was doing yard work, and arrested him without incident.

“During the arrest, Rodriguez admitted he knew about the warrant, confirmed that his actual name was Jesse Rodriguez and stated he had been a fugitive for nearly 20 years,” the constable’s office said in a statement Tuesday.

Maricopa County authorities last heard from Rodriguez in January 2007, when he pleaded no contest to charges of attempt to commit sexual conduct with a child, attempt to commit molestation of a child and indecent exposure, according to court records. The crime date is listed as July 2003.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Wednesday that Rodriguez failed to appear at a sentencing hearing in February 2007 and has been at large since.

He is being held in the Bexar County Jail while awaiting extradition to Arizona.

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