A routine traffic stop in Seguin brought a months-long manhunt to an abrupt end, with a man on Texas' 10 Most Wanted sex offenders list now back in custody. Authorities say 43-year-old Melvin Lee Kennon was arrested on Jan. 6 after a coordinated investigation. Kennon had been wanted since September 2025 for failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements and was previously convicted in 2007 of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old, according to public records and local reporting.
Traffic stop ended the search
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Kennon was pulled over in Seguin on Jan. 6 and taken into custody by DPS special agents working alongside Texas Highway Patrol troopers. The agency’s captured list now shows Kennon as apprehended in Seguin and credits the Criminal Investigations Division and Highway Patrol with bringing the case to a close.
Why Kennon was on the list
Local reporting indicates Kennon was added to the state’s 10 Most Wanted sex offenders roster after authorities determined he had failed to comply with sex offender registration rules. As reported by MyTexasDaily, he was convicted in 2007 of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old and served about six years in confinement.
What the law says
Failing to comply with sex offender registration requirements is a separate criminal offense under Texas law, and the punishment can escalate quickly depending on an offender’s registration schedule and prior record. Under Article 62.102 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, described by Justia, violations can range from state jail felonies to second degree felonies based on the circumstances.
What comes next
MyTexasDaily reports the arrest did not come from a tip to Texas Crime Stoppers, so no reward will be paid in this case. Kennon remains in custody and will be processed by local authorities while prosecutors weigh charges tied to his alleged failure to register, according to the reporting and the DPS capture notice.
