OTAY MESA, Calif.—Yesterday morning, San Diego Sector (SDC) Border Patrol agents arrested a man in East County San Diego who had entered the U.S. illegally. The subsequent records check revealed that the man had served time for sexual assault against a child in 2017. This incident marks SDC’s 25th such arrest since the start of fiscal year 2021 and is on its way to making a new record high for the area.
On March 3, at approximately 11:30 a.m., Border Patrol agents were patrolling the Otay Mountain Wilderness and encountered a man approximately one and a half miles north of the international border. The man was a Mexican national and admitted to being illegally present in the U.S.
Taking the 34-year-old man to a nearby station for processing, the agents discovered he had a prior criminal record. In October 2017, a Nevada judge sentenced him to four years in prison for lewdness with a child under age 16. After his release for that offense, the man was returned to Mexico. He now faces more felony charges for illegal re-entry after deportation.
“I commend our agents for their steadfast protection of America,” said U.S. Border Patrol, San Diego Sector, Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke. “Apprehending predators like these makes our communities safer.”
In fiscal year 2020, SDC’s Border Patrol agents arrested 25 sex offenders. During fiscal year 2021, 25 sex offenders were arrested in San Diego Sector during the first five months. With a growing number of arrests in recent years, SDC began tracking the annual apprehension of sex offenders in 2019.
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.