San Diego – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers along the California border with Mexico apprehended 28 wanted fugitives this past weekend.
CBP officers encountered wanted persons with warrants ranging from parole violations to larceny, to dangerous drugs and homicide.
On Nov. 6, at 12 a.m. Mexican law enforcement officers turned over Julio Angel Garcia Puente, a 50-year-old Mexican citizen and legal permanent resident of San Diego to CBP enforcement officers and San Diego Police detectives at the San Ysidro port of entry. Garcia Puente had a no-bail felony homicide warrant out of San Diego, for the alleged murder of his estranged wife. Once CBP enforcement officers verified the identity of Garcia Puente he was turned over to the custody of San Diego Police detectives for processing.
Later that same day at 10:50 p.m., at the San Ysidro border station a CBP officer conducting inspections encountered Nancy Islas, a U.S. citizen and resident of Adelanto, Calif. when she entered the port as a passenger in a vehicle. Islas had a felony warrant for dangerous drugs with a bail amount of $25,000 out of San Bernardino, Calif. She was arrested and booked into Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility awaiting extradition.
On Nov. 7, at 3:25 a.m. Lorena Sanchez a 41-year-old U.S. citizen and resident of El Monte, Calif., applied for entry at the San Ysidro border station as a passenger in a vehicle. As the CBP officer conducted his inspection, he was alerted that Sanchez was wanted on a felony warrant for dangerous drugs with a bail amount of $50,000 out of Monrovia, Calif. She was arrested and taken to Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility to await extradition.
“The apprehension of so many wanted fugitives demonstrates the dedication of our officers to securing our border and keeping criminals out of our community,” said Pete Flores Acting director of San Diego Field Operations.
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.