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UPDATE: Felon Child Abuser Identified Among Smuggled

Release Date
Thu, 02/15/2018

TUCSON, Ariz. – Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Sonoita Station recently identified a convicted felon among the three male illegal aliens apprehended Feb. 13 near the immigration checkpoint on State Route 83.

As reported on Feb. 14, a 29-year-old woman from Wenden, Arizona, driving a Nissan Sentra, was arrested for smuggling the three men from Mexico. One of the men was injured during the incident and required life flight transport.

While the injured man was receiving medical care, the two remaining men and driver were taken into custody. Agents processing one of the smuggled aliens discovered the man had a prior felony conviction.

Jose Castro-Luque, 45, had a criminal record that included a 2004 child abuse and neglect conviction in Farmington, Utah. He was sentenced to five years in prison.

Castro is currently being held in federal custody pending prosecution for criminal immigration violations.

(Details on the smuggling event can be found online at https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/woman-caught-smuggling-agents-provide-aid-injured)

All individuals apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure illegal immigrants with criminal histories are positively identified.

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