Escapee Sex Offender Added To Most Wanted List

A convicted sex offender who cut off his ankle monitor and escaped a halfway house last week has been added to Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list.

Police say 57-year-old Fernando Thompson, who was convicted of aggravated rape of a child in 1982, removed his ankle monitor on Nov. 24 and fled a halfway house located on the 6100 block of Wheless Cove, KXAN reported. Officials are currently offering up to a $7,500 reward for any information that leads to the fugitive’s capture.

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“Fernando Thompson is a Sexually Violent Predator and has been part of the state’s Civil Commitment Program since June 2005. On November 24, 2015, Thompson violated his civil commitment requirements by knowingly and intentionally cutting off his ankle monitor and absconding from Burkes Supervised Living Center located in Austin, Texas. Thompson is considered at high risk to reoffend,” the Texas Department of Public Safety stated.

Thompson was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child and Sexual Assault for incidents in Jefferson County in the early 1980s. The two female victims were 15 years old and 20 years old. He was sentenced to a 30-year sentence and 20-year sentence for the two sex crimes, to be served concurrently in TDCJ prison.

The police believe Thompson could be driving a silver 1997 Chevrolet Lumina with Texas license plate GCL5976. Here’s a description of Thompson according to the DPS Sex Offender Registry:

• Height: 5’4”
• Weight: 176
• Hair Color: Gray
• Eye Color: Brown
• Race: White
• Ethnicity: Non-Hispanic

[Photo courtesy of Texas Department of Safety]