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Human Smuggler, Convicted Sex Offender Arrested by Border Patrol

Release Date
Wed, 05/27/2020

OCOTILLO, Calif. – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Centro Sector arrested a human smuggler, previously convicted of a sexual offense, on Tuesday.

The incident occurred at around 9:52 a.m., when an agent assigned to roving patrol duties pulled over a vehicle that was suspected of alien smuggling on Interstate 8 just east of Ocotillo. Inside the car, agents encountered the driver, a 44-year-old United States citizen, and five passengers. Agents determined all five passengers to be illegally present in the United States.

Agents transported all six men to an immigration rally point for further processing.  Record checks revealed that the driver had been previously convicted for “Sex with a Minor 3 Plus Years Younger” out of Santa Maria, on February 1, 1999.  He was sentenced to 18 months of incarceration for his conviction. 

The driver was processed administratively for 8 USC 1324 Alien Smuggling.  The five passengers, all adult Mexican males, were expelled back to their country of origin.

This is the second incident of this kind in two weeks.  Last week, El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents pulled over a vehicle near Silsbee Road and Even Hewes Highway, and found that the driver, caught with two illegal aliens in his car, was previously convicted of a sexual offense.

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 official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021