Former Hidalgo County district clerk facing federal escape charges
Former Hidalgo County District Clerk Omar Guerrero was scheduled to make a first appearance Thursday on federal escape charges in Houston federal court following his arrest in Mexico on Tuesday.
Guerrero, who had been on the run since 2013, was set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Y. Ho Thursday afternoon on federal charges for violating the "Fugitive Felon Act."
The "Fugitive Felon Act" brings federal charges to individuals who cross state or international lines to avoid prosecution.
According to court documents, Guerrero had previously been arrested by Hidalgo County sheriff's deputies on May 3, 2013 for a felony charge of cocaine possession and a misdemeanor charge of tampering with the identification of an assault rifle.
His bond was set at $1.05 million - $1 million on the felony and $50,000 on the misdemeanor, which he posted on May 7, 2013.
According to the docs, a felony warrant for sexual assault of a minor was issued the same day that Guerrero posted bail.
As previously reported, Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office investigators had been looking into Guerrero after a child reported the sexual assault on April 26, 2013.
"The victim reported that she left her workplace with a man known to her as Omar. According to the victim, she was taken to a residence located in the 6300 block of Western Road in rural Mission, Texas, where the assault occurred," a news release shared Wednesday from the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office read.
Guerrero had been identified by the victim through a photographic lineup. Investigators with the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office found probable cause that Guerrero did indeed assault the victim.
"Consequently, the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office, along with assistance of the United States Marshal Service (McAllen Division) attempted to locate GUERRERO to execute the arrest warrant," a criminal complaint from May 10, 2013 read.
"On May 9, 2013, investigative interviews revealed that on May 7, 2013, GUERRERO traveled from the State of Texas into the United Mexican States through the Port of Entry in Harlingen, Texas, to avoid prosecution in the United States."
Guerrero was arrested in Tulum, Mexico, which is located in the Yucatán Peninsula and extradited to the United States.
Hidalgo County District Attorney Toribio "Terry" Palacios said that Guerrero will be released to Hidalgo County custody once the federal court proceedings conclude.
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This story was originally published June 26, 2026 at 3:48 PM.