WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas — An Austin gang leader and convicted felon who was on the run after skipping a court appearance in Williamson County has been captured.
According to authorities, 32-year-old Louis Phillip Reyes of Cedar Park was indicted by a Williamson County grand jury following a traffic stop in March 2021. Cedar Park Police Department officers were dispatched to the intersection of Bagdad Road and Whitestone Boulevard for a road rage incident where a man pointed a gun at another driver.
On March 11, 2024, Reyes appeared for jury selection in his trial for the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm. However, he failed to appear for the first day of testimony on March 12. The jury convicted him on March 13, and he was sentenced to 45 years in prison.
When he failed to appear in court, the Williamson County District Attorney's Office obtained a warrant for Reyes on bond forfeiture. The DA's office also requested that the U.S. Marshals Lone Star Fugitive Task Force help in locating and arresting Reyes.
The task force began a fugitive investigation and quickly determined that Reyes had fled to Mexico. The U.S. Marshals contacted Mexican authorities to locate him.
On March 20, Mexican authorities arrested Reyes in Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas, Mexico, and he was deported back to the U.S. the next day. He was flown to Houston, where he was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force. He was then booked into the Harris County Jail and extradited to Williamson County.
"The successful apprehension of Mr. Reyes is a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice by our dedicated law enforcement agencies. His capture not only signifies our unwavering commitment to the rule of law but also serves as a stern warning to those who attempt to evade it," Williamson County DA Shawn Dick said. "We are grateful for the international cooperation that led to this arrest, and we will ensure that Mr. Reyes is held accountable for his actions. I am also deeply appreciative of the jury’s service and their dedication to delivering justice in this challenging case."
Reyes' criminal history
This wasn't Reyes' first run-in with the law.
In 2016, he was arrested for possession of controlled substances.
Then in 2018, he was arrested after he allegedly stole an AR-15 from a Round Rock police car, then posted a photo with the weapon on Facebook. Reyes was charged with theft of a firearm, a state jail felony.
Reyes' latest conviction was the result of a road rage incident on March 19, 2021, when he pointed a gun at another driver in Williamson County. The investigation that followed led police to stop Reyes' vehicle. Inside, they found a gun.
The Williamson County DA's office said Reyes was also the head of the Austin gang Street Thugs Regulating All Grinds, or STRAG.