A fugitive and sex offender from South Texas was arrested Thursday night after authorities found him working at a South Austin carnival.

Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force staked out the carnival while workers set up rides at the corner of Warehouse Row and Ben White Boulevard. Task force officers spotted Vern Houston, 26, operating a carnival ride and arrested him around 9 p.m.

He had several drivers’ licenses and other IDs on him that were not his. Houston was recently added to the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office “10 Most Wanted” list. Houston is wanted for several burglaries in the Corpus Christi area, according to U.S. Marshals.

“The Lone Star Fugitive Task Force is committed to tracking and locating those fugitives who have the potential to prey upon our children,” said Robert R. Almonte, the marshal for the Western District of Texas.

The carnival is operated by Crabtree Amusements, an Austin company. Owner Patrick Crabtree said Houston caught a ride up to Austin from Corpus Christi to work the carnival. The person who runs background checks on carnival employees has been out of state, and had not processed a background check on Houston before he started working at the Austin carnival.

The company issued the following statement late Friday afternoon:

“Crabtree Amusements does pre-employment drug screens and asks if the person has any history of sex offenses. Persons with sex offenses are not hired. If they are to be hired the must sign a release the paper work is forwarded to our safety office for back ground checks thru Texas Department of Safety Criminal History and the US Justice sexual offender public website. Mr. Houston was hired as casual labor to help in erection of equipment. He then decided to continue to work, since the paper work has not reached our safety office, in transit to Colorado the check had not been done yet. Security is provided on site during event with off duty officers from Sheriffs dept. We are about family entertainment and work to provide a safe environment for all.”

Nikki Stites worked with Houston.

“He was friendly we were sitting up there playing video games with his sister all night I was just shocked,” said Stites.

She said the carnival employees are like one big family.

“They are a good company and hopefully it doesn’t take them to a bad reputation,” said Stites.

The arrest didn’t stop Stephen Mohan from bringing his family from Kyle to the carnival for the first time.  But it did remind him to always watch out for predators.

“They’re living and walking around among us and you just have to be careful,” said Mohan.

Houston is in the Travis County Jail pending his transfer to Corpus Christi.

If you or someone you know is being charged with a crime such as drug possession, DWI, family violence, etc., and need someone to represent you, please contact the Law Office of Hector Gonzalez III at (512) 222-4140 for a free consultation.

Law Offices of Hector Gonzalez III - 512-501-2344
700 Lavaca St Suite 1400, Austin Texas 78701