FBI Director Christopher Wray visited the FBI Houston Field Office, which covers 40 southeast Texas counties including Harris and Montgomery, and participated in a news conference with local media. The Director discussed the FBI’s role in combatting violent crime in the area, the value of law enforcement task forces and announced the addition of FBI Houston fugitive Wilver Villegas-Palomino to the Bureau’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. 
 
During the trip, Director Wray met with local law enforcement partners to affirm the FBI’s continued commitment to combat the rising epidemic of violent crime in the area and expressed his appreciation for their continued support and collaboration. 
 
Among the violent crime successes the Director touted are the recent federal indictments of six Houston gang members charged with using a firearm to commit murder in aid of racketeering and the arrest of seven other Houston gang members for conspiracy to commit interference with commerce by robbery, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and carrying a weapon in relation to a drug trafficking offense. 
 
“We’re focused not only on our collective long-term goals to combat the gangs and criminal organizations but also on more immediate steps we can take to make the community safer—which means charging violent offenders and keeping them off the streets,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “These successes wouldn’t have been possible without the combined work of all our law enforcement partners—at every level—here in the Houston area.” 
 
“Houston is our nation’s fourth largest city, and as the city continues to grow, so do threats and crimes of all type—violent, cyber, counterintelligence, and health care fraud,” said James Smith, special agent in charge of the FBI Houston Field Office. “We always welcome the opportunity for the Director to hear about and see first-hand the great work the women and men of FBI Houston, and our partners, are doing to curb crime and stay ahead of evolving threats.”  
 
Director Wray makes regular visits to the FBI field offices and overseas legal attachés to meet with employees and receive briefs on local issues and crime trends, as well as to collaborate with partners.