Two of Texas’ Most Wanted Captured in Houston and Waco

AUSTIN – Two of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted are back in custody following their recent arrests. Authorities captured Carl Hegert in Houston on Feb. 18, and Brien Keith Coleman in Waco on Feb. 23. A Crime Stoppers reward will not be paid for either of their arrests.

Carl James Hegert, 40, a Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender, was taken into custody at an apartment complex in Houston. Working off investigative information, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) Special Agents, Texas Highway Patrol (THP) Troopers assigned to the Texas Anti-Gang (TAG) – Violent Crimes Unit in Houston, along with members of the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Fugitive Task Force, located and arrested Hegert.

Since 2006, Hegert has been convicted of a number of a crimes, including theft of a firearm, sexual assault of a child, assault causing bodily injury to a family member, failure to register as a sex offender and manufacture/delivery a controlled substance. He was discharged from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) in January 2025. Hegert had been wanted since October 2025, after a warrant was issued for his arrest out of Waller Co. for larceny. Additionally, he was wanted out of San Jacinto Co. for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements. More information on Hegert’s capture can be found here.

Brien Keith Coleman, 39, a Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitive, was taken into custody following a traffic stop in Waco. Working off investigative information, DPS Special Agents and other members of the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, coordinated with THP Troopers to conduct the traffic stop.

In September 2023, Coleman was arrested by the McLennan Co. Sheriff’s Office for indecency with a child by sexual contact. On Dec. 10, 2025, he was arrested for violation of a bond/protective order and subsequently bonded out of jail. Coleman had been wanted since Dec. 29, 2025, after a warrant was issued for his arrest out of McLennan Co. for indecency with a child by sexual contact. More information on Coleman’s capture can be found here.

Funded by the Governor’s Public Safety Office, Texas Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, Sex Offenders or Criminal Illegal Immigrants. So far in 2026, DPS and other agencies have arrested 11 Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives and Sex Offenders, including eight sex offenders and one gang member – with $13,500 in rewards being paid for tips that yielded arrests.

To be eligible for cash rewards, tipsters MUST provide information to authorities using one of the following three methods:

• Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
• Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about then clicking on the link under their picture.
• Submit a Facebook tip by clicking the “SUBMIT A TIP” link (under the “About” section).

All tips are anonymous — regardless of how they are submitted — and tipsters will be provided a tip number instead of using a name.

DPS investigators work with local law enforcement agencies to select fugitives for the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, Sex Offenders and Criminal Illegal Immigrants Lists. You can find the current lists — with photos — on the DPS website.

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

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(HQ 2026-021)