CBP Officers Apprehend Four Men
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
LAREDO, TEXAS (News Release) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations officers assigned to Laredo Field Office ports of entry over a recent 72-hour period apprehended four men wanted on outstanding warrants for sex-related offenses involving children.
“Over the Columbus Day holiday weekend our frontline CBP officers at Laredo Field Office ports of entry maintained their vigilance and apprehended four men wanted on outstanding warrants for alleged sex-related charges involving children,” said Director, Field Operations Donald Kusser, Laredo Field Office. “Sex-related offenses involving children are among the most heinous offenses we encounter. We work diligently to ensure that individuals accused of these kinds of crimes are held accountable and have their day in court.”
On Oct. 13, CBP officers at Gateway to the Americas Bridge referred a pedestrian, 31-year-old Luis Manuel Mendez III, a U.S. citizen, for a secondary inspection after a primary inspection. During secondary examination, CBP officers utilizing biometric verification and federal law enforcement databases verified his identity and discovered that he was the subject of an outstanding felony arrest warrant for aggravated sexual assault of a child issued by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. CBP officers turned Mendez over to Webb County sheriff’s deputies for transportation to Webb County jail for adjudication of the warrant.
On Oct. 12, CBP officers at Juarez-Lincoln Bridge apprehended bus passenger Isidro Gutierrez, a 57-year-old U.S. citizen wanted on an outstanding felony warrant issued by Laredo Police Department for indecency with a child and turned him over to Laredo Police Department officers.
Also on Oct. 12, CBP officers at the same bridge apprehended vehicle driver Armando Hernandez, 32, a U.S. citizen wanted on an outstanding felony warrant issued by Laredo Police Department for indecency with a child by sexual contact and turned him over to Laredo Police Department officers.
On Oct. 11, CBP officers at Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville apprehended vehicle passenger Gilberto Fernandez Vega, a 65-year-old Mexican citizen wanted on an outstanding felony warrant issued by Cameron County Sheriff’s Office for indecency with a child by sexual contact and transported him to Cameron County jail.
The National Crime Information Center is a centralized automated database designed to share information among law enforcement agencies including outstanding warrants for a wide range of offenses. Based on information from NCIC, CBP officers have made previous arrests of individuals wanted for homicide, escape, money laundering, robbery, narcotics distribution, sexual child abuse, fraud, larceny, and military desertion. Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
