Beaumont man flees to Mexico as jury finds him guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child

Judge Stevens tells 12News security footage captured Albelo crossing an international bridge in Laredo at around 2:45 a.m. Thursday.

BEAUMONT, Texas — A Beaumont man on trial for the aggravated sexual assault of a child fled to Mexico the day before he was found guilty by a jury.

The crime was reported on March 19, 2017. It was reported that Dadiel Albelo sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl.

A Jefferson County grand jury indicted Albelo in 2019 in connection to the case.

Albelo’s trial began this week before Judge John Stevens in the criminal district court. On Wednesday, the jury began deliberating. Judge Stevens tells 12News, the jury asked to go home around 6 p.m. Wednesday.

When they returned Thursday morning, Albelo was nowhere to be found. He was out on bond. Stevens says, “Bond isn’t reinstated until a guilty plea or conviction occurs.”

Even in the Albelo’s absence, Judge Stevens instructed the jury to continue, saying, “Justice must move forward.”

In Albelo’s absence, the jury still found him guilty of  aggravated sexual assault of a child. He was sentenced him to 45 years in prison. Albelo was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

Albelo’s whereabouts were revealed later in the day. Judge Stevens tells 12News security footage captured Albelo crossing an international bridge in Laredo at around 2:45 a.m. Thursday.

Albelo will be eligible for parole once he has served at least half of his 45-year sentence. If Albelo completes his sentence, he will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Multiple law enforcement agencies are working to try and find Albelo.

Once he is found and brought back to the US, Albelo could face additional charges including but not limited to state charges of bail jumping and federal charges for flight to avoid confinement after conviction.

From a Jefferson County Criminal District Attorney’s office release:

Criminal District Attorney Bob Wortham announced October 7, 2022 that Dadiel Albelo, 50, has been found guilty of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. The jury found Albelo guilty as charged and assessed his punishment at 45 years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with a fine of $10,000. Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child is a first-degree felony that carries a term of not more than 99 years and not less than 5 years.

On March 19, 2017, it was reported that Dadiel Albelo had sexually assaulted a 13 year-old female family friend. During a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination it was discovered the child was pregnant.

The case was investigated by Detective Staci Landor of the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Pam French of the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. Albelo is eligible for parole once he has served 50 percent of his sentence. If Albelo completes his sentence, he will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Albelo was present on Tuesday October 4th with his attorney for trial from jury selection through closing arguments, but when the jury had reached a verdict Albelo could not be found. Investigators for the District Attorney worked quickly with other agencies to locate Albelo and discovered his vehicle had been photographed crossing the international border to Mexico at 2:41 A.M. on Thursday. While absconding is not unusual, Jefferson County District Attorney Bob Wortham is not aware that a defendant has ever previously fled the country before or after a verdict was rendered.

Multiple law enforcement agencies are currently working to locate Dadiel Albelo. Once located and brought back to the United States Albelo faces additional charges including, but possibly not limited to, state charges of bail jumping and federal charges for flight to avoid confinement after conviction.