BP seizes meth, arrests sex offender
In two separate incidents, El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 86 checkpoint arrested an alleged sex offender and a man suspected of smuggling methamphetamine over the weekend.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:15 a.m. Saturday when a
24-year-old U.S. citizen was referred to secondary inspection at the Highway 86 checkpoint after a canine team alerted to his Jeep Grand Cherokee.
During the search, agents discovered 15 vacuum-sealed packages wrapped in cellophane hidden in a compartment within the vehicle’s roof, explained a Customs and Border Protection news release.
The content of the packages tested positive for methamphetamine and weighed a total of 18.33 pounds, with an estimated street value of $82,485.
The subject, vehicle and narcotics were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration, the news release stated.
The second incident occurred at approximately 6:43 p.m. Sunday when agents assigned to the Calexico station arrested a 48-year-old Guatemalan man suspected of making an illegal entry into the United States near downtown Calexico.
Record checks identified the man as Luciano Pablo-Martin, who was previously deported from the U.S. on Feb. 13, 2004.
Agents also discovered Pablo was arrested by the San Diego Sheriff’s Office for lewd acts with a child under 14-years-old on Nov. 14, 2003 and again on June 9, 2014.
Pablo was convicted and sentenced to separate prison terms on each conviction, stated the news release. Pablo will remain in federal custody pending prosecution for violation of criminal law.
“Here we have a case of an illegal alien who was convicted of a heinous crime against a minor, not once but two times,” said Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David S. Kim. “This subject preyed upon one of the most vulnerable segments of our communities, our youth. Our agents encountering and arresting him will ensure he is not released back to our communities.”