AUSTIN — A Valley man who was added to the Texas Most Wanted list on Monday, Jan. 3, was arrested Tuesday night, Jan. 4, in Rio Grande City — the first arrest of a Most Wanted Fugitive in 2011.

Abel Barrera, 35, was arrested at the Las Brisas Apartments in Rio Grande City that evening by the Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, the Texas Rangers, the Rio Grande City Police Department, the Starr County District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Marshals. He was booked into the Starr County jail without incident.

The news release announcing Barrera’s addition to the Most Wanted List — and a possible $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest — went out early Tuesday morning. By 2:15 p.m., the Texas Crime Stoppers Hotline had received numerous tips about his location. Two people will be receiving a share of the $10,000 reward.

Barrera, a member of the Texas Mexican Mafia gang, has a criminal history that includes convictions for burglary of a habitation to commit other felony, aggravated possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance, evading arrest/detention and deadly conduct.

Texas Crime Stoppers offers rewards to any person who provides information that leads to the arrest of one of the 10 Most Wanted Fugitives. Anyone with information can provide anonymous tips in three different ways:

• · Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477).
• · Text the letters DPS—followed by your tip—to 274637 (CRIMES) from your cell phone.
• · Submit a tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive you have information about, and then clicking on the link under their picture to submit a web tip.

 All calls, texts or emails are anonymous.

DPS investigators work with local law enforcement agencies to select fugitives to be featured on the Texas Top 10 Most Wanted list. Find the current list — with photos — on the DPS website at http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/wanted/. The list is updated as needed.