Man Reports Finding Man On Most Wanted Criminal List; Authorities Don’t Consider Suspect A High Priority

El Paso law enforcement officials want to keep El Pasoans safe and sometimes they need the public’s help to find suspects.

One frustrated viewer told us he’s reported a suspect, but the man is still on El Paso streets.

“He’s got that very nice demeanor, very pleasant,” said Richard Chatterton about Gustavo Lopez, who is on the Sheriff’s Office Most Wanted list.

“Family dispute, family violence, assault, robbery, aggravated assault or even murder. We prioritize them on the Most Wanted list,” explained Deputy Jesse Tovar, spokesman for the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.

But Lopez, 52, is wanted for three counts of theft.

“It’s a crime against society. A lot of people are con artists, defrauding businesses and property owners,” said Tovar.

An ABC-7 viewer said he reported Lopez, but the suspect hasn’t been arrested.

In most cases it’s because investigators don’t have enough information, authorities said.

“We have to get information that leads us to the location of the individual so we can arrest him. Not just assumption, presumption of where that individual was spotted because we could very well respond to that area and that individual be gone,” Tovar said.

This isn’t Lopez’s first run-in with the law. The ABC-7 I-Team found 49 cases involving a Gustavo Lopez with the same date of birth as the man on the Most Wanted list stemming back to 1995.

The charges included theft, forgery and deceptive trade practice. “You never see him do any work, but he’s always bringing you a bill,” said Chatterton.

The president of Marick Foods Inc. explained Lopez approached him two months ago about fixing some delivery trucks.

“He’ll say he fixes it and he’ll get it running a little bit better and like the next day, it does the same thing over and over again,” Chatterton said.

He told ABC-7 Lopez can talk his way around just about anything. He called the suspect for an update on one of his trucks while our crew was there.

“So when are you going to be back,” asked Chatterton. “I’ll be there in a little while. OK,” exlpained Lopez. Then Lopez said he’d be there the next day.

Chatterton said by dealing with Lopez he’s learned if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

A $1,000 lesson for Chatterton which paid “for a transmission, a few odds and ends. He’s trying, but I cut him off,” said Chatterton.

Chatterton gave us the number he calls to get a hold of Lopez, but when we called to get a comment, the man on the other end said we had the wrong number and hung up.

To report Lopez or any suspects on the Police Department or Sheriff’s Office’s Most Wanted list, authorities said to call 915-566-8477.