Fugitive Sought for Sexual Misconduct
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
DEL RIO (News Release) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Del Rio Port of Entry officers this weekend apprehended one male lawful permanent U.S. resident wanted on an outstanding felony warrant for alleged sexual misconduct with a minor.
“Our frontline officers continue to maintain their vigilance and apprehended a man wanted for an alleged sex crime involving a minor,” said Port Director Liliana Flores, Del Rio Port of Entry. “Apprehensions like this one underscore the importance of CBP’s border security mission and our ongoing commitment to uphold that mission and help keep our communities safe and secure.”
The fugitive apprehension occurred on Friday, November 9, 2023, at the Del Rio International Bridge. A CBP officer inspecting vehicles arriving from Mexico referred vehicle passenger Benigno Martinez Perez, a 64-year-old male lawful permanent U.S. resident, for a secondary inspection. After escorting the passenger to secondary, subsequent biometric verification through law enforcement databases confirmed that the subject had an outstanding felony warrant for alleged sexual misconduct with a minor, out of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office in Spartanburg, South Carolina. According to South Carolina Code §16-3-655, the crime of criminal sexual conduct with a minor is charged as class A, C or E felony which is punishable by a prison term that can range from 15 years up to life in prison. The passenger was turned over to Del Rio Police Department to await criminal proceedings.
The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) 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.
