A joint operation between the Texas Attorney General, Department of Public Safety, Harris County Sheriff and the Harris County District Attorney’s Offices resulted in the location and arrest of 31 criminals, including one of Harris County’s Most Wanted Fugitives. All of the arrested individuals had outstanding arrest warrants for felony family violence.
The sweeping effort by Texas law enforcement signifies an increasing attempt to crack down on domestic violence.
Attorney General Greg Abbott said in a statement, “This joint operation reflects a concerted crackdown on domestic violence offenders by state and local law enforcement agencies. During this operation, the Attorney General’s Office successfully partnered with local officials and the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate and arrest 31 individuals who had outstanding warrants for family violence offenses – including one of Harris County’s Most Wanted Fugitives. We are grateful to District Attorney Devon Anderson and local law enforcement for partnering with the Attorney General’s Office on this very significant joint operation.”
District Attorney Devon Anderson publicly acknowledged the significant effort to locate felons who had committed domestic violence.
She said, “Domestic violence not only affects the survivor and their family, but society as a whole. I want to commend the Texas Attorney General’s Office for assisting the District Attorney’s Office in apprehending these suspects. It is important that we send a message to abusers that there are serious consequences for their actions.”
29-year-old Christopher Matthew Blake was among the fugitives located and arrested in Kingwood on February 21. He was wanted for a domestic violence charge. According to Harris County law enforcement, the 29-year-old got into a physical fight with his sister’s boyfriend. Blake subsequently pulled out a black semi-automatic gun and pointed it at the other man. The incident caused Blake to end up on the Harris County’s Most Wanted Fugitives of 2013.
Records indicate that Blake also had a long criminal history that includes driving without a license and possession of illegal drugs.
Abott stressed the importance of cracking down on domestic violence. He said, “So many people across the county are being harmed, physically and emotionally, because of domestic violence. Some are losing their lives.”
“In 2013, we filed more than 10,500 domestic violence cases,” Anderson said. “That number, unfortunately, has remained steady in the last two years.
Follow Kristin Tate on Twitter @KristinBTate
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