3 Babies born in Border Patrol Custody in one day.

Release Date: 

December 13, 2019

COLUMBUS, N.M. – It is unusual but not unheard of to have a mother deliver a baby at a border port of entry. However rarely does that happen twice and almost three times in a matter of hours but that’s exactly what happened at the Columbus port early Thursday morning.

“Service to the community is a CBP core value although it is not usually associated with assisting in the birth of child, or in this case multiple children,” said Columbus Port Director Tony Hall. “I commend the officers involved for their quick response to a series of unexpected medical emergencies that needed immediate attention.”

At 1:25 a.m. a Mexican ambulance arrived transporting a woman who was in labor. CBP officers immediately contacted emergency medical services but the baby girl would not wait. CBP officers noticed that birth was imminent and provided an obstetrical kit to the Mexican medical technicians to administer an emergency delivery. The baby was born at 1:33 a.m. EMS arrived a short time later and transported the family to Mimbres Memorial Hospital in Deming.

At 1:57 a.m. another pregnant female arrived and requested help because she 41 weeks pregnant and in labor. EMS arrived before the baby boy was born and transported the female from the port to Mimbres Memorial Hospital.

At 4:39 a.m. CBP officers encountered another female in labor arrive from Mexico. As a CBP officer was requesting assistance the woman dropped to the sidewalk and went into delivery. Several CBP officers quickly arrived with an obstetrical kit and helped deliver the baby girl. Mother and newborn were brought inside and monitored by CBP personnel until EMS arrived at 5:08 a.m. The mother and child were then transported by EMS to Mimbres Memorial Hospital.

Tucson - CBP bust a Guatemalan for the 2nd time .

Release Date: 

December 13, 2019

TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a previously deported illegal alien with a felony criminal record after he re-entered the United States near Sells today.

Just past midnight, Tucson Sector agents encountered Edin Francisco Gamez-Barrios while patrolling the desert south of Sells.

During processing, agents discovered the 38-year-old Guatemalan national had been charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance by Montgomery County, Maryland, in 2015. He was sentenced to 30 months in jail and 24 months of supervised release. Gamez-Barrios was removed from the United States on July 3, 2019.

Gamez-Barrios is being held in federal custody, pending federal immigration charges. 

All persons apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure illegal aliens with criminal histories are positively identified.

CBP -2 tons of Cocaine bust!

Release Date: 

December 9, 2019

Four suspects caught with narcotics valued at over $51M

Drug smugglers haul large loads of cocaine towards the U.S. using
stealthy low-profile vessels (LPV).

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Two P-3 aircrews from Air and Marine Operations found a low-profile vessel (LPV) off the coast of South America and followed it until the U.S. Coast Guard arrived and seized the cocaine discovered aboard the craft valued at over $51,000,000.

A Corpus Christi-based aircrew had just departed its deployment base in South America for a patrol when the radar operator detected a tiny target on the water. When the sensor operator zoomed in with the P-3’s sophisticated camera system, they saw an LPV; a stealthy boat that the drug cartels use for the sole purpose of smuggling drugs. The aircrew continued to track the vessel for several hours until an aircraft from AMO’s other P-3 base in Jacksonville, Florida, arrived to continue the chase.

The two aircraft took turns watching the smugglers until the US Coast Guard reached the vessel on Nov. 17. The AMO crews were happy to find out that their efforts led to the Coast Guard’s detaining four smugglers and seizing 3,900 pounds of cocaine.

CBP big meth Bust!

LAREDO, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers intercepted a significant amount of hard narcotics with an estimated street value of more than $453,000 in one enforcement action at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge.

“I congratulate our frontline officers for their firm commitment to carry out the CBP mission and protect the public from illegal narcotics,” said Port Director Albert Flores, Laredo Port of Entry.

Packages containing 22 pounds of
methamphetamine seized by CBP officers at
Juarez-Lincoln Bridge.

The seizure occurred on Tuesday, Dec. 10 at Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge when a CBP officer referred a 2003 Ford Escape driven by a 48-year-old female Mexican citizen who resides in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas for a secondary examination. Upon a canine and non-intrusive imaging inspection by CBP officers, a total 22 pounds of alleged methamphetamine was discovered. The narcotics have an estimated street value of $453,265.

CBP officers seized the narcotics and the vehicle. The driver was arrested and the case was turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) special agents for further investigation.

Border News: Sex offender arrested

EDINBURG, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Rio Grande Valley continue to encounter criminal aliens.

On Wednesday, Rio Grande City Border Patrol agents working near Roma, Texas, arrested a Guatemalan national later identified as Ronel Esau De LEON- Baltazar for being illegally present in the United States. During processing, record checks confirmed a previous arrest in Plano, Texas for Indecency with a Child Sexual Contact. De LEON-Baltazar was subsequently convicted and sentenced to four years confinement.

The following day, Rio Grande City agents arrested a Salvadoran national after he illegally entered the United States.  Record checks revealed a previous arrest by the Los Angeles Police Department for Sexual offense on a Child under 14. A judge convicted and sentenced the man to three years confinement.

Border Patrol Apprehends MS-13 Gang Member

Release Date: 

December 12, 2019

TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Tucson Sector arrested an admitted MS-13 gang member near Douglas, Thursday afternoon.

The arrest occurred around noon, when Border Patrol agents on patrol observed a man illegally enter the United States west of the Douglas Port of Entry. Agents arrested the man and transported him to the station for processing.

During processing, record checks revealed the man was identified as Gonzalo Garcia-Gonzales, a 26-year-old Mexican national. Record checks also revealed that Garcia is a documented MS-13 gang member.

Garcia has been previously ordered removed from the United States, the most recent being on February 09, 2019.

Garcia is being held in federal custody pending further criminal prosecution.  All arrested individuals are presumed innocent pending the outcome of legal proceedings.

Egyptian-born U.S. citizen arrested

A Massachusetts man has pleaded guilty to keeping classified national defense documents at his home without proper authorization.

Federal prosecutors said Friday that 66-year-old Ahmedelhadi Yassin Serageldin, an Egyptian-born U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to willfully retaining national defense information.

He faces up to 10 years at prison at sentencing scheduled for April. Federal agents conducting a search warrant at the former Raytheon engineer’s Sharon home found thousands of paper documents and electronic files belonging to Raytheon or the Department of Defense, many of which were marked as containing classified information.