FBI hunts drug deaths suspect

RICK SANCHEZ: What makes Joe Saenz a top 10 suspect?

KEVIN PERKINS, FBI ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: There's a selection process for the FBI’s ten most wanted list. In this case we look for people who are a danger to the community, who are lifelong criminals and who are people that we believe the public could assist us in apprehending.

SANCHEZ: So if somebody sees this guy out there, look at his face. Somebody that sees him out there right now, watching the newscast, what do they do?

PERKINS: If they have information on where this guy is, if they know him they should contact the local FBI office. They can get the contact number on the website, www.fbi.gov. If it's an emergency, obviously, they should contact 911 right away.

SANCHEZ: I'm curious, 10 years is a long time. When the FBI's on your tail, I couldn't probably last 10 hours or maybe 10 minutes, right? This guy's been out there 10 years? How do you hide for 10 years?

PERKINS: He has a very intricate network of people that can protect him. He travels back and forth across the border using aliases. He lives sometimes in Mexico, sometimes in southern California. And he fits in and amongst his neighborhood and he is able to be protected by the gang members around him.

SANCHEZ: That seems amazing, doesn't it? Somebody in this country, in this day and age with the technology and everything else that he would be able to be out there. When was the last time you had a good beat on Joe Saenz?

PERKINS: We've been working this pretty solidly for a number of years, as you mentioned. We think we have some leads. We think he's not completely in the wind, but we're at a point where we believe that the public could really step up and help us in this case.

SANCHEZ: The FBI began the 10 most wanted list 60 years ago. Does it still work?

PERKINS: J. Edgar Hoover started the list in 1949 after the bureau gave reporters some names and the people were apprehended by tips coming from the public. They were so successful that the FBI decided to create a top ten list and it's been around for 60 years.