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  4. Border Patrol Agents Arrest a MS-13 Gang Member

Border Patrol Agents Arrest a MS-13 Gang Member

Release Date
Fri, 09/21/2018

CALEXICO, Calif. – Border Patrol agents assigned to El Centro Sector arrested a known gang member Thursday night.

The incident occurred at approximately 10:36 p.m., after agents assigned to the Calexico Station arrested a man near the Calexico Port of Entry for suspected illegal entry.  Agents determined the man was a citizen of El Salvador illegally present in the United States.

Border Patrol agents conducted record checks, which revealed 37-year-old Adys Avelar-Rivera is a citizen of El Salvador with a lengthy criminal record.  In 2001, Avelar was convicted for felony possession of narcotics and was sentenced to 180 days in jail, and 36 months probation.  Again in 2003, he was sentenced to three years prison for felony drug possession.

Avelar has been convicted twice for illegal re-entry, first in 2007, and again in 2015, serving a total of 83 months in prison.  

Avelar admitted to being an active member of the MS-13 Gang.

Avelar will be held pending criminal prosecution.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021