Anonymous tip leads Harris County deputies to runaway teen living with registered sex offender

Sex offender found living with teen runaway, officials say

Harris County Precinct 2 deputies say an anonymous tip helped remove a missing boy from a potentially dangerous situation and led to the arrest of a registered sex offender. FOX 26's Leslie DelasBour spoke to authorities about the case.

HOUSTON - Harris County Precinct 2 deputies say an anonymous tip helped remove a missing juvenile from a potentially dangerous situation and led to the arrest of a registered sex offender.

Harris County: Missing teen found with sex offender

What they're saying:

On Thursday, January 8, 2026, deputies received an anonymous tip through the Precinct 2 website reporting that a boy was living with a registered sex offender on Broadway Street near Hobby Airport.

According to Precinct 2 Sgt. Raul Estrada, the tipster provided information indicating the juvenile was living with a man that was a registered sex offender.

"I made contact with the anonymous man who provided me with anonymous information which showed the man in question was a registered sex offender and the male juvenile that was living there was in fact a runaway," said Sgt. Estrada, 

Deputies made contact at the residence with a man identified as 70-year-old Michael Williams. Investigators confirmed Williams is a registered sex offender. 

Williams told deputies a 17-year-old male was staying with him and claimed he did not know anyone would be looking for the teen.

Deputies entered the juvenile’s information into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database and confirmed the teen was listed as a missing juvenile through the Department of Child Protective Services.

"So we entered the information given to us through the anonymous tip. We entered the information into NCIC. From there we received a hit confirmation that the male was a missing juvenile through Austin and, in the information, it had the caseworker of the juvenile. So I made contact with the caseworker, who advised that, yeah, he ran away from work in November 2025 and had been missing and nobody knew where he was at," said Sgt. Estrada. 

From Bellville to Houston

Dig deeper:

Investigators learned the teen had been in CPS custody and was living in a group home in Bellville, Texas, before running away.

"I believe the parents or whoever is in charge of the group home said, 'I don't want you here no more,' so the male juvenile went to work, made a phone call, got picked up and left," said Sgt. Estrada. 

During interviews, Williams allegedly told deputies he knew the juvenile’s father and claimed he had known the teen for about a year. 

Authorities admitted picking the teen up from Bellville and bringing him to Houston.

"I asked [Williams], ‘How did [the juvenile] get from Bellville to Houston?’ He said, ‘Well, he called me, so I went to go pick him up,’" said Sgt. Estrada. "While having a cordial conversation with the juvenile to figure out more information on the circumstances, the juvenile admitted that the defendant did know he was a runaway, and that [Williams] said, 'Hey, CPS shouldn't be looking for you anymore because you are almost 18 years old.'"

Sgt. Estrada says that knowledge was a key factor in Williams being charged. 

"As a reasonable adult, you should know to report this to law enforcement, given that he is missing and someone is looking for him," he said.

What's next:

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and accepted charges of Harboring a Runaway against Williams. He was transported to the Harris County Jail without incident.

Investigators say there were no signs of sexual advances or a sexual relationship between Williams and the teen. The teen told deputies he had nowhere else to go.

Deputies say the juvenile was safely removed from the residence and is now back in protective custody.

‘See something, say something’

What you can do:

Sgt. Estrada credits the anonymous tip for the quick resolution.

"Anonymous tips always work. If you feel your identity might be pushed out, or a relationship could be ruined, what have you. If you say something, something can be done, said Sgt. Estrada, "We received the tip January 8th, which was Thursday, and the arrest was made January 8th, quick and swift with all the information provided. The more you know, the more we can investigate."

He encourages the public to remain vigilant and speak up.

"See something say something is ultimately the best thing you can do. The smallest information can lead to some of the biggest arrests. The sex offender website is public, so you can figure out who is living around you. You just never know sex offenders have to register once a year, so the information is pretty accurate."