TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents working near Bisbee, Arizona, arrested a registered sex offender for human smuggling Saturday afternoon.
Tucson Sector agents stopped a vehicle on state Route 92 for an immigration inspection and discovered four people lying across the vehicle’s backseat. After confirming all four were undocumented individuals, the U.S. citizen driver was placed under arrest.
The migrants were a family from Mexico: a 33-year-old mother and her children, ages 3, 15 and 16.
Records checks revealed the driver had been convicted of rape of a child and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. He was on parole after serving 13 years of his sentence. His parole officer was contacted, and a parole violation warrant was issued, effectively returning him to prison.
“The job of a Border Patrol agent is often thankless, and it’s always dangerous. We work in remote areas and never know who we will encounter. I’m grateful we were able to stop a potential threat to this family,” said Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent John R. Modlin.
Because the material witnesses were a mother and her minor children, and it would not be in the interest of the government to separate a family, prosecution of the driver for human smuggling was not sought.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials’ welcome assistance from the community. Individuals can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling 1-877-872-7435 toll free. Reporting illicit activity could result in saving someone’s life.
For more details regarding this news release, contact the Tucson Sector Public Affairs Office at tca-pao@cbp.dhs.gov or by phone at 520-748-3210. Tucson Sector is also LiveU capable. Contact us to schedule an interview.