DEL RIO, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents working in Carrizo Springs arrested a man who was previously convicted of sexual abuse of a five-year-old child.
is a registered sex offender.
“Thanks to the hard work and diligence of our agents, another dangerous sex offender has been stopped from potentially doing harm to American citizens,” stated Del Rio Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak. “Our agents remain committed to the safety and well-being of our communities.”
Oct. 5, agents arrested Fernando Cruz-Jimenez, a 27-year-old Mexican national, along with several other undocumented immigrants who were encountered on a remote ranch near Carrizo Springs.
During processing, records checks revealed that Cruz-Jimenez is a registered sex offender who was convicted in 2010 of sexual abuse of a cohabitant (3rd degree felony), a 5-year-old child, in Des Moines, Iowa.
Cruz-Jimenez was removed from the United States in 2013, after serving his sentence for this sexual offense. He currently faces charges of illegal reentry after deportation - 8 USC § 1326 - with a possible maximum sentence of not more than 20 years. Cruz-Jimenez’s prior order of removal will also be reinstated.
The Del Rio Border Patrol Sector is part of the Joint Task Force-West South Texas Corridor, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations. During FY 2017, Del Rio Sector agents apprehended 14 previously deported sex offenders. To report suspicious activity, call the Del Rio Sector’s toll-free number at 1-866-511-8727.