What started as a Memorial Day weekend DWI detail in Magnolia turned into a much bigger bust when Montgomery County deputies arrested a convicted sex offender during a Saturday night traffic stop and recovered a firearm that investigators say had been reported stolen in Houston.
The driver, identified by deputies as Jose Dennis Garcia‑Murillo, was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on an unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon charge after authorities said he had re‑entered the U.S. following a prior deportation. The stop was part of the sheriff's Memorial Day DWI task force operation.
According to Bluebonnet News, deputies assigned to the Memorial Day DWI Task Force pulled the vehicle over at about 8:25 p.m. in the 8200 block of FM 1488 near Magnolia. The outlet reported that Garcia‑Murillo was the sole occupant and that deputies found packages inside the vehicle that matched his reported work as a contract Amazon delivery driver.
How The Stop Unfolded
"During the investigation, deputies working alongside Homeland Security Investigations Houston determined Garcia‑Murillo had an outstanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement administrative warrant," the sheriff's office said.
Deputies said they then found a firearm in the vehicle that had been reported stolen during an aggravated robbery in Houston, and charged Garcia‑Murillo with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He was booked into the Montgomery County Jail.
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Sex Offender Compliance Unit later notified Harris County authorities that he had not registered there as required, and officials said Harris County may pursue additional charges, as reported by Bluebonnet News.
Sex Offender Compliance Follow Up
The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Sex Offender Compliance Unit, which "conducts hundreds of compliance checks per month," coordinates with local and state partners to enforce registration laws, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. The unit also provides assistance to parole and probation officers and can open criminal investigations when registrants do not follow reporting requirements.
Pattern And Enforcement
Officials say this arrest fits a broader pattern of proactive traffic enforcement in the county that has been turning up illegal guns and drugs.
On April 11, the sheriff's office reported that a proactive stop near the 4800 block of Woodlands Parkway led to the seizure of multiple firearms and drugs and to an arrest, noting that "The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office remains committed to removing illegal firearms and dangerous drugs from the community to ensure the safety of all residents," per MCTXSheriff.
