Imperial Beach, Calif. — On Monday morning, a 30-year-old male Mexican national with an active arrest warrant for rape in Santa Ana, Calif., was arrested after a brief struggle with Border Patrol agents while he was attempting to illegally enter the country in Imperial Beach.
At about 2:20 a.m., an agent encountered the suspect hiding in a brushy area north of the international border along with one other man who was determined to be a Mexican national illegally in the country. The agent detained one man, but the second subject ignored the agent’s commands and resisted apprehension.
Another agent arrived to assist with apprehending the suspect. The combative man then attempted to gain control of an agent’s holstered handgun. The agent retained his sidearm and both agents were eventually able to subdue and handcuff the subject. Agents then transported them to a nearby Border Patrol station for processing.
Agents conducted routine record checks of the men and discovered that the combative subject had an active felony arrest warrant from the city of Santa Ana in Orange County, for rape with force, with bail set at $1 million. The suspected rapist was turned over to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department pending his extradition to Orange County.
The U.S. Border Patrol maintains strong collaborative partnerships with other law enforcement agencies to reduce crime and improve the quality of life in border communities.
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.
