DPS Captures Convicted Child Molester from Guatemala in Val Verde Co. (South Texas Region)

DEL RIO – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) captured a convicted child molester from Guatemala with a history of illegal reentry into the United States during Operation Lone Star in Val Verde Co.

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, just after 11:30 a.m., a DPS Trooper encountered a male subject walking along US-90 near Del Rio. During the encounter, the Trooper learned that the male subject was an illegal immigrant, identified as Jorge Mario Ecute Gonzalez, 50, of Guatemala. Through further investigation, the Trooper discovered that Gonzalez was an aggravated deported felon with a history of illegal reentry after serving prison time for child molestation in Missouri. 

Gonzalez was convicted of first-degree child molestation in 2017 by the 19th Judicial Circuit Court of Cole Co., Mo. and sentenced to five years in prison. He was subsequently removed from the United States in 2020. He unlawfully reentered the United States again in 2022, and was prosecuted in 2023 by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas in Del Rio for federal charges related to reentry as a previously deported aggravated felon. He was removed from the United States again in 2024.

DPS turned Gonzalez over to the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol.

Video from the encounter is available here.

###(DPS – South Texas Region)