The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has named Carlos Jose Ayala Morales, 43, as this month’s Featured Fugitive in the Texas 10 Most Wanted program. The reward for information leading to his arrest has been increased to $6,000 if the tip is received during March 2025. Ayala Morales, a convicted repeat sex offender from Houston, is wanted in Harris County for attempted indecency with a child by sexual contact. He has been on the run since February 2025. Ayala Morales is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing approximately 250 pounds, with tattoos on his abdomen, back, right hand, and both arms.

Criminal History Ayala Morales’ criminal history dates back to 2000, when he was convicted of burglary of a building and sentenced to six months of confinement. In 2018, he was convicted of evading arrest/detention with a vehicle and three counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact involving two 14-year-old girls and one 12-year-old girl. He was also convicted of indecency with a child by exposure involving an 8-year-old girl. Ayala Morales served seven years in prison for each offense, served concurrently, and was discharged from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) facility in 2024.

Crime Stoppers Rewards Texas Crime Stoppers, funded by the Governor’s Public Safety Office, offers cash rewards to individuals who provide anonymous tips leading to the arrest of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, Sex Offenders, or Criminal Illegal Immigrants. So far in 2025, 13 fugitives have been captured through this initiative, with $20,000 in rewards paid out.

How to Submit Tips To be eligible for cash rewards, tips must be submitted through one of the following methods:

  • Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
  • Submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive’s profile and clicking the link under their picture.
  • Submit a Facebook tip by clicking the “SUBMIT A TIP” link under the “About” section.

All tips are anonymous, and tipsters will receive a unique tip number instead of using their name. DPS urges the public not to approach Ayala Morales or any other fugitive, as they are considered armed and dangerous. For more information or updates on the Texas 10 Most Wanted list, visit the DPS website.