Texas DPS Captures Featured Sex Offender Thanks to Public Tip

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), working alongside the Office of the Attorney General, has confirmed the arrest of one of the state’s 10 Most Wanted Sex Offenders. Dante Dewayne Odom, 52, who was listed as the October Featured Fugitive, is now behind bars thanks to a coordinated effort and a Crime Stoppers tip that led to his capture.

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Arrest Made in Houston After Public Tip

On October 9, DPS Special Agents with the Criminal Investigations Division, along with Texas Highway Patrol Troopers and the Attorney General’s Office, located Odom at his workplace in Houston. Acting on information provided by a concerned citizen, officers safely took Odom into custody.

Odom had been wanted out of Harris County since June 2025 for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements. He had recently been designated as the Featured Fugitive of the Month, increasing the Crime Stoppers reward for his capture to $4,000, a move that ultimately helped bring him in.

Criminal History and Prior Convictions

Odom’s criminal record stretches back decades. In 1992, he was convicted of burglary of a habitation with intent to sexually assault a 30-year-old woman and sentenced to 12 years in prison. Since then, Odom has faced multiple arrests for failing to register as a sex offender and for assault causing bodily injury to a family member. He was most recently released from a Texas Department of Criminal Justice facility in March 2022.

Crime Stoppers and Community Involvement

This latest arrest underscores how vital community tips are in helping law enforcement locate fugitives. Funded by the Governor’s Public Safety Office, the Texas Crime Stoppers Program offers cash rewards to citizens whose information leads to arrests.

So far in 2025, DPS and partner agencies have arrested 54 fugitives, including 22 sex offenders and 13 criminal illegal immigrants, with $41,000 in rewards paid to tipsters who stepped up and spoke out.

How Texans Can Report Tips and Stay Anonymous

If you recognize someone on Texas’ Most Wanted lists, you can help safely. All tips remain anonymous, and you’ll receive a tip number instead of using your name.

• Call 1-800-252-TIPS (8477)
• Submit online through the DPS website under the fugitive’s profile
• Send a tip via Facebook by clicking “Submit a Tip” on the DPS page

Texans can view photos and updates on fugitives at the Texas DPS Most Wanted website.

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