ECISD police make sex assault arrest

A man wanted in connection with aggravated sexual assaults of two children in East Texas was located more than 600 miles away — and just across the street from an Odessa school.

Ace Allen Kretzer Sr., 35, was being held Thursday at the Ector County Detention Center without bond.

U.S. Marshal Phil Maxwell said Newton County authorities issued warrants on Aug. 20 on two counts of sexual assault of a child, in relation to girls aged 7 and 9.

Maxwell said the Newton County Sheriff’s office requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals in Beaumont to find and arrest Kretzer.

After they discovered Kretzer might have a girlfriend living in Odessa, Beaumont marshals contacted the Midland U.S. Marshal’s Office, Maxwell said.

Wednesday, investigators found that the girlfriend was living in Odessa, across the street from Goliad Elementary School, Maxwell said.

Marshals saw Kretzer pick up his girlfriends’ children from the school and then waited until there were no other children in the area before making the arrest, Maxwell said.

Maxwell said marshals and ECISD police knocked on the door and had the girlfriend take her children to safety. Maxwell said officers then met Kretzer at the front door and arrested him without incident.

Newton County Sheriff Joe Walker thanked the agencies involved in the arrest. Walker said a deputy from his county would arrive sometime today to take Kretzer back.