CHAMBERS COUNTY, Texas — A fugitive on the Chambers County top ten most wanted list was located and arrested on the water, thanks to a joint effort from Southeast Texas law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Officials found 27-year-old William Joseph Griffin Tuesday on a vessel around 1 p.m. The boat had been operating in the Gulf of Mexico for an extended period of time, according to a Chambers County Sheriff's Office news release.
Griffin was on the Chambers County top ten most wanted list for an outstanding felony warrant for aggravated sexual assault of a child.
As of Thursday night, Griffin is back on land, but he's in the Chambers County jail on a $1 million bond.
Deputies with the Chambers County Sheriff's Office Covert Investigations Unit, the US Marshals, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, United States Coast Guard, and Port Authority worked together to apprehend the fugitive.
"I appreciate the joint effort by all agencies involved in getting this fugitive into custody and into the Chambers County Jail. Chambers County Sheriff's Office will continue to increase our efforts in serving outstanding arrest warrants for crimes committed here in Chambers County," said Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne.
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Full news release from Chambers County Sheriff's Office...
Sheriff Brian Hawthorne reports that on Tuesday, October 19, at approximately 1:00 p.m., deputies with the Chambers County Sheriff's Office Covert Investigations Unit coordinated with the US Marshals Service, Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, United States Coast Guard and Port Authority to apprehend a fugitive wanted out of Chambers County.
They located 27 year old William Joseph Griffin on a vessel that had been operating in the Gulf of Mexico for an extended period of time.
Griffin was on the Chambers County top ten most wanted list for an outstanding felony warrant for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child with bond set at $1,000,000.00.
Once Griffin was taken into custody he was transported to the Chambers County Jail and booked in for the outstanding warrant.
"I appreciate the joint effort by all agencies involved in getting this fugitive into custody and into the Chambers County Jail.
Chambers County Sheriff's Office will continue to increase our efforts in serving outstanding arrest warrants for crimes committed here in Chambers County," said Sheriff Hawthorne.