As part of a broader gun-safety campaign rollout, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg joined with law enforcement and community partners Thursday to announce her office will distribute free gun safes for residents to use at home and in their vehicles.

“Safely storing firearms is critical to keep them from falling into the hands of criminals or our children,” Ogg said at a news conference hosted by Congregation Beth Israel. “These types of partnerships have let us take action in a very positive way.”

District Attorney’s Office representatives will give away the gun safes in addition to gun locks and safety information they already distribute at various monthly meetings held by the Houston Police Department. Ogg credited Academy Sports + Outdoors for partnering on the latest initiative and thanked Houston City Council Member Edward Pollard for providing funding for the first 1,000 safes.

Sixty-three people have been killed in the first 45 days of this year in Harris County, many by firearms, Ogg said. She noted that in 2022 firearms became the leading cause of death in children younger than 18 nationwide and that houses of worship have been breached. Locally, guns are stolen from vehicles at an alarming rate, the district attorney and other speakers said.

“If you can’t afford a gun safe for your car, we’ve got one for you,” Ogg said. “Lock up your guns. Together we can do this. It is preventable.”

The announcement came as part of a joint effort to reduce the number of unsecured guns in Harris County. In addition to a website, houstongunsafety.org, and gun-safety classes, traditional and digital billboards on freeways and near neighborhoods, in both English and Spanish, are bringing the message of gun safety to area residents. The digital billboards will be up through 2023.

Survivor Marentha Sargent emphasized the preventability of tragedies stemming from gun violence, and Houston City Council Member Abbie Kamin championed the collaborative nature of preventing easy access to the weapons.

Partners of the District Attorney’s Office are Congregation Beth Israel and the Minaret Foundation; Houston Police Department; Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Houston branch of the FBI; Houston Mayor’s Office; Moms Demand Action; and Clear Channel Outdoor.

A 43-year-old man who fatally shot one of his roommates and wounded another at their southwest Houston apartment in 2017, then brutally stabbed an acquaintance a year later, pleaded guilty on the eve of trial and was sentenced to 30 years in prison Tuesday, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced.

“This man brutally attacked three people in two different incidents, which does not happen by chance or coincidence or happenstance,” Ogg said. “When someone intentionally hurts people, like this, we seek justice for the victims, and a long prison term is justice.”

Josue Celis-Maltes, 43, was arrested after going to a friend’s apartment at 10110 Club Creek in southwest Houston on May 5, 2018. He rushed into the apartment and stabbed an acquaintance, who was a visitor at the home, twice in the chest. That man survived.

After Celis-Maltes was in custody for that attack, Houston police officers realized he was wanted for murder for fatally shooting his roommate, 24-year-old Jaime Castillo-Vasquez, on May 28, 2017. In addition to being charged with murder, Celis-Maltes was charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury for shooting his other roommate in the face during the same incident.

Witnesses said Celis-Maltes was drinking beer in the apartment when he made a call and told someone to bring him his gun. Three of his adult nephews arrived at the apartment complex about 15 minutes later. One of them handed Celis-Maltes a silver pistol.

Celis-Maltes took the gun, walked over to where his 34-year-old roommate was sitting in the apartment and shot him in the face. He survived. Castillo-Vasquez heard the shot and came out of his bedroom, and Celis-Maltes killed him.

Assistant District Attorney Bryan Honeycutt, who prosecuted the case with Rehaman Merchant, noted that Celis-Maltes cannot appeal the murder conviction or the sentence.

“Celis-Maltes got drunk and angry and started shooting his roommates, so thank God one of them lived and was able to pick him out,” Honeycutt said. “He is dangerous and violent, and the guarantee that he will be locked up for 30 years is a good thing for Harris County.”

Today we are announcing a reward offer of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Yulan Adonay Archaga Carías, also known as “Porky” or Alex Mendoza, for conspiring to participate in or attempting to participate in transnational organized crime.  This announcement complements a U.S. Department of Justice criminal indictment, which charged Archaga Carías in 2021 with conspiracy to violate the racketeering laws of the United States, conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States, and possession of a machine gun in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.

Archaga Carías is the highest-ranking member of Mara Salvatrucha 13 (MS-13) in Honduras and is responsible for directing the gang’s criminal activities including drug trafficking, money laundering, murder, kidnappings, and other violent crimes.  Archaga Carías is also responsible for the gang’s importation of large amounts of cocaine into the United States.

This announcement is an element of a comprehensive effort in conjunction with the U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions against Archaga Carías.  Archaga Carías is a most-wanted fugitive by the FBI, DEA, and DHS Homeland Security Investigations.

The United States supports the efforts of law enforcement partners in Honduras seeking justice against violent MS-13 gang members like Archaga Carías.  In coordination with these efforts, and to complement the work of police and prosecutors in Honduras, we are announcing the new reward offer today.

Any information in response to the reward offer should be directed to U.S. law enforcement investigators at +1-202-451-8122 or +504 8886-7166 (phone/text/WhatsApp/ Telegram/Signal).

This reward is offered under the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP).  The TOCRP and the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP) have helped bring more than 75 transnational criminals and major narcotics traffickers to justice since the NRP’s inception in 1986.  The Department has paid more than $155 million in rewards under these programs for information leading to apprehensions and convictions.

Labor shortages are impacting industries nationwide and law enforcement is no exception. Law enforcement agencies are struggling to stay fully staffed leading to resources being stretched thin.

To help address this critical need, Lone Star College recently welcomed its second cohort into the LSC Law Enforcement Academy, a program that prepares students for the state licensing examination and engage in hands-on training to learn the skills applicable to police work.

“The Lone Star College Law Enforcement Academy reinforces our commitment to public safety,” said Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., LSC Chancellor. “We are proud to offer this important program to our community, and we applaud the brave men and women who dedicate their lives to ensure our safety.”

The Law Enforcement Academy began in 2021 and 10 cadets graduated in December 2022. They now work at various agencies, such as Harris County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office, La Marque Police Department, Humble ISD Police Department, Montgomery County Pct. 3 Constable’s Office, Montgomery County Pct. 4 Constable’s Office and Tomball Police Department. The next cohort began Feb. 6.

“Lone Star College was honored to prepare these cadets and we look forward to being the training hub for future law enforcement officers who will perform an invaluable service for our communities,” said Art Murillo, LSC Board Trustee Vice Chair.

The LSC Law Enforcement Academy offers day full-time and evening part-time options that can train the next group of police officers in less than a year. Courses are available at LSC-East Aldine Center and upon completion, graduates become certified Texas peace officers.

“This academy consists of academic, physical fitness and training taught by prior and current law enforcement professionals that will graduate top quality officers to serve and protect our community,” said Glenn Riddle, LSC Law Enforcement Academy Director. “Also, we added more hours in de-escalation procedures.”

The LSC Law Enforcement Academy meets Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) requirements. Cadets learn how to maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, state or federal laws for various law enforcement agencies, including educational institutions.

“I was a vocational pastor for 16 years, and although my calling shifted, I still wanted to help others,” said Johnny Willard, a new Tomball Police Officer and former Law Enforcement Academy class president. “Law enforcement will allow me to continue making a difference in the community and, hopefully, change people’s negative view of police officers by treating everyone with care and respect.”

Visit LoneStar.edu/Programs-Of-Study/Law-Enforcement-Academy to learn more.

Lone Star College enrolls over 80,000 students each semester providing high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area and has been named a 2022 Great Colleges to Work For^® institution by the Chronicle of Higher Education, ranked 35th in Texas in the Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers By State’ list and recognized by Fortune Magazine and Great Place To Work^® as one of this year’s Best Workplaces in Texas^™. LSC consists of eight colleges, seven centers, eight Workforce Centers of Excellence and Lone Star Corporate College. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.