On the evening of Friday, September 12, 2025, the Austin County Regional Special Response Team carried out an operation in Colorado County that led to the arrest of 62-year-old fugitive Larry Haynes.
The investigation was spearheaded by the Austin County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit, which focuses on locating and apprehending fugitives. Haynes was found at a residence in Garwood, Texas, and taken into custody on two active felony warrants from Fort Bend County for Indecency with a Child by Sexual Contact.
Indecency with a Child by Sexual Contact is a crime under Texas Penal Code §21.11. Here’s what it means in plain terms:
- It happens when an adult touches a child under 17 years old in a sexual way or has the child touch them.
- The law specifically covers any sexual contact that is meant to arouse or gratify someone sexually.
Under Texas law, this offense is classified as a second-degree felony. If convicted, the punishment can include:
- Prison sentence: 2 to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
- Fines: Up to $10,000
- Probation: Occasionally possible but rare in these cases
- Sex Offender Registration: Mandatory for life
In addition, prior convictions or aggravating circumstances can result in even harsher penalties. Even attempted offenses can carry serious consequences, and nearly all convictions require lifetime registration as a sex offender, restricting where offenders can live, work, and travel.
Following his arrest, Haynes was booked into the Colorado County Jail without incident. The Colorado County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the operation.
