Click to enlarge Cid Artecona Jr.

BY MARY JANE FARMER

HERALD DEMOCRAT

Law enforcement is continuing its vigorous search for sex offender Cid Solano Artecona Jr. who was convicted in the 15th Judicial District Court Aug. 24 on two counts of 1st-degree felony aggravated assault of a child. Artecona, who was free on surety bond, was not there for the second day of his jury trial. He did not return to hear the conviction and sentencing.

An hour after the sentence was in place, Grayson County Sheriff's Office had arrest warrants in place, charging him with bail jumping on the aggravated assault convictions.

On Saturday, Sheriff's Office investigators were in searching for him in several East Texas counties. Artecona, 41, is from Navasota, between Bryan/College Station and Houston. The investigators said leads have taken them to several other counties, and they have other leads which to follow that means he could have taken a different route out of Grayson County.

The victim in this case was, at the time, a 12-year-girl and the offense happened in Sadler about six years ago. The investigation began in January 2004 and Artecona first went to jail on the felony charges in November that year.

Artecona had posted the bonds on which was free on at the time on the sexual crimes charges and also bail jumping. He went to jail on those in November 2008, and posted the surety bonds the next day.

Investigators said that Texas Department of Criminal Justice will, if they haven't already, issue a mandate to all law enforcement agencies, instructing them to hold Artecona.

Several television stations in the East Texas area are broadcasting Artecona's photo.

Artecona is described as a white male, 5-feet 10-inches tall and weighing 170 pounds. He has brown hair, but at the time of the trial his head was bald. He has brown eyes and sometimes wears a mustache, goatee, or other facial hair. He has tattoos on both shoulders, both forearms, on his neck, fingers, chest, abdomen, and elsewhere.

Anyone with information on Artecona's whereabouts is urged to call 903-821-0608.