James Michael Allen, Kidnapping, Texas 2018
Two Sisters Rescued from Abduction in Texas
On New Year's Eve 2017, a woman was murdered in her home in Round Rock, Texas, leaving behind her 7- and 14-year-old daughters. The girls were missing, and an AMBER Alert was issued, sparking a massive manhunt across three states: Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado.
Through a combination of digital evidence, forensic processing, cell phone analysis, interviews, surveillance images, and tips from the public, investigators discovered the suspect's location. On January 3, 2018, the sisters were found unharmed when the suspect was apprehended during a traffic stop near La Veta, Colorado, 700 miles away from their home.
The suspect, James Michael Allen, had a long criminal history, including charges of attempted murder, rape, and child pornography. He was arrested and extradited to Texas, where he was subsequently convicted on two federal counts of kidnapping, one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
Allen was sentenced to life in federal prison on May 21, 2018, in Austin, Texas.
The Justice Department honored 10 Texas-based law enforcement officers with the 2019 Missing Children's Law Enforcement Award for their extraordinary efforts in rescuing the two sisters and bringing James Michael Allen to justice.
The award recipients include officers from Round Rock, Austin, and Laredo, Texas. The officers from the Round Rock Police Department are:
- Sergeant Darin Bayles
- Detective Bernardo Villegas
- Lieutenant Robert Drawbaugh
- Crime Scene Specialist Kerie McKown
- Detective Robert Watts (Retired)
- Detective Kevin Bender
The officers from the FBI San Antonio Field Office, Austin Resident Agency, are:
- Special Agent Sean M. Mullen
- Special Agent Jacob E. Baillie
The officer from the FBI San Antonio Field Office, Laredo Resident Agency (now with the FBI's Honolulu Field Office), is:
- Special Agent Andrew Masters
The officer from the Texas Ranger Division, Texas Department of Public Safety, Austin, is:
- Ranger Gary Phillips
Administrator Caren Harp praised the collaborative team of law enforcement officers from multiple cities and states for their swift efforts in rescuing the children and bringing James Michael Allen to justice.
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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