HOUSTON, TX– The Violent Persons Warrants Task Force, a specialized unit of the Harris County Sheriff’s and Constables’ Offices, has made a significant impact in tracking down the county’s most dangerous fugitives. Since its launch in 2022, the elite 22-person team has cleared more than 5,000 warrants, ensuring that violent offenders are swiftly removed from the streets and brought to justice.
“Knowing this dedicated team is out there every day trying to locate and apprehend the most serious offenders is definitely a big plus, and it’s important for public safety in our region,” said Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
Advanced Tactics in Tracking Dangerous Fugitives
The Violent Persons Warrants Task Force uses state-of-the-art technology and intelligence-based strategies to locate wanted suspects.
“It’s not just 5,000 arrests; it is 5,000 warrants cleared. Sometimes they [the suspects] have way more than five, six, seven, felony warrants as they just go on these sprees of crime,” said Lt. Brooks Collier, the team’s leader.
Commitment to Public Safety
Harris County Commissioners approved $2.6 million to establish the Violent Persons Warrants Task Force.
“The immediacy of having that warrant issued to having officers looking for them [the suspect], taking them out of the community, and putting them behind bars, is important to keeping Harris County safe,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones also underscored the importance of collaboration behind the task force’s success, stating, “I believe deeply that this task force, made possible through collaboration with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Harris County constables, helps keep our families safer across Harris County.”
Among the recent arrests:
· Aaron Grant was arrested in Crosby on charges of assault – impeding breath, continuous family violence (two charges), injury to a child, and stalking. At the time of his arrest, he was out on bond for murder when these additional charges were filed.
· Marquice Wear was arrested in Baytown on charges of murder, engaging in organized crime, and evading in a motor vehicle. These warrants stemmed from his bond being revoked on the murder case.
· Angela Abuzaidt was arrested in North Houston on charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, and impersonating a public servant. At the time of her arrest, she failed to identify herself, and additional charges were filed.
· Meagan Presswood was arrested in Humble on charges of promotion of prostitution and class A criminal mischief, both stemming from out-of-county warrants. According to law enforcement, Presswood is a documented associate of the Outlaw Motorcycle gang BEAST MG.
Watch the Video Here for an inside look into the Violent Persons Warrants Task Force.
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