Florida Fugitive Found Watching Kids Near Local Water Park

A convicted Florida sex offender wanted on sexual battery charges was in custody Monday after authorities discovered him watching children playing in a local spray park.

Reporter: Josh Wucher and Jim Peeler

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WACO (July 11, 2011)-Fugitive Florida sex offender Fernando Aguirre, 44, was in the McLennan County Jail Monday after authorities found him watching children playing at the water park near the Herring Avenue Bridge in Waco's Cameron Park.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement had been looking for Aguirre and received a tip he was in Waco.

The agency identified the fugitive as Jose Fernando Aguirre-Jaramillo, although McLennan County Jail records listed his name as Fernando Aguirre.

A deputy U.S. marshal who was checking out the Cameron Park area Friday spotted Aguirre and at around 3:30 p.m. Friday, ICE officers and members of the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force arrested him.

He was babysitting three children at the time of the arrest, authorities said.

The children were returned to their parents.

He's wanted in Florida for sexual battery with a deadly weapon, burglary of a building, a probation violation on a kidnapping charge and for failure to register as a sex offender.

He was convicted of kidnapping and sexual battery in 1995 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The Hardee County, Fla., Sheriff's Office, described Aguirre as one of Florida’s most wanted fugitives.

"I'm proud of the hard work and diligence of our officers for tracking down this career criminal. Now, not only has this alien with an extensive criminal history been removed from the streets of Waco, Texas but he will be removed from our country as well," said Deborah Achim, acting field officer director for the ICE Office of Enforcement and Removal in San Antonio.

Aguirre, who’s a native of Mexico, was held Monday without bond under an immigration detainer.

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