Reward increased for Most Wanted fugitive sex offender from Austin

Authorities are investing an extra $10,000 in cash and using technology to gather additional information on one of the Most Wanted sex offenders in the state, who has been a fugitive since 1998.

Information leading to the arrest of John Erick Anderson of Austin, this month’s featured Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender, will bring a reward of up to $13,000. Your Texas Crime Stoppers tip is guaranteed to be anonymous.

Anderson, 51, is wanted for a parole violation after he failed to register as a sex offender and fled from the Austin area in 1998.

His prior convictions include Aggravated Sexual Assault and Indecency with a Child for the molestation of two young girls over a period of several years.

Records indicate Anderson, who is fluent in Spanish, has worked as a missionary.

He has been known to travel out of the country, possibly under an assumed name.

For more information on Anderson, see his DPS Most Wanted poster: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/wanted/sexoffenders/topTenSexOffenders.htm#;view=Individual%20Details/fugitive=6.

A Texas Rangers Forensic Artist recently completed an age-progressed image of Anderson. The above photo on the left is the most recent photo available (1997), and the image on the right is an age-progressed image of what Anderson may look like today. Although the age-progressed image may not be an exact likeness, it should be considered a strong approximation. This is the first time the age progression technique has been used in conjunction with the Texas 10 Most Wanted Program.

One offender from the Texas 10 Most Wanted Program is featured each month in hopes the higher reward money from the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division will generate additional tips. The higher reward amount will only be paid if the tip comes in the same month the fugitive is featured.

Texas Crime Stoppers, which is funded by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division, offers cash rewards to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of the Texas 10 Most Wanted fugitives or sex offenders. Anyone with information can provide anonymous tips in three different ways:

• Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
• Text the letters DPS—followed by your tip—to 274637 (CRIMES) from your cell phone.
• Submit a tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about, and then clicking on the link under their picture to submit a web tip.

All calls, texts or e-mails are anonymous, and tipsters will be given a tip number. You do not have to give your name.

Do not attempt to apprehend these fugitives yourself; they are considered armed and dangerous.

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/wanted/index.htm