OTAY MESA, Calif. — Early yesterday morning, San Diego Sector (SDC) Border Patrol agents arrested a previously deported sex offender who had entered the U.S. illegally.
On Jan. 4 at approximately 6 a.m., agents patrolling the border near the Otay Mesa Port of Entry encountered a man illegally present in the U.S. The agents arrested, identified and fingerprinted him at the site. Following up with a records check, the agents discovered that the 43-year-old Mexican national had an extensive criminal record.
Records showed that the man had been convicted in Colorado for Sexual Assault against a Child in 2009 and was sentenced to four years-to-life in prison. The man also was convicted in 2010 for Sexual Assault of Child-Pattern of Abuse, which carries a 10 year-to-life sentence.
In January 2020, the Colorado Department of Corrections released the man to Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, who subsequently removed him from the U.S. in February 2020.
Arrested once again yesterday, the man is being held in Federal custody with pending charges for felony illegal re-entry after deportation.
“Our agents are to be commended for apprehending and arresting this convicted child predator,” said Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke. “Their vigilance prevented this dangerous man from entering our communities.”
In fiscal year 2021, which began on Oct. 1, 2020, SDC’s Border Patrol agents have arrested 14 sex offenders. During fiscal year 2020, 25 sex offenders were arrested in San Diego Sector.
To prevent illegal entry and other contraband, the U.S. Border Patrol maintains a high level of vigilance on corridors of egress away from our Nation’s borders. To report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol, contact San Diego Sector at (619) 498-9900.