Border Patrol Glance

Wellton agents find toddler among group

A two-year-old child was among a group of 11 Mexican nationals apprehended by Wellton Border Patrol agents in a desolate area of the Sonoran Desert Monday morning.

Agents tracked and subsequently arrested the group as they traversed through the desert approximately 35 miles south of Tacna.

The child was traveling with his mother and was found to be in good overall condition.

The group also included a 16-year-old unaccompanied male. The migrants were taken into custody and processed for removal.

This dangerous route through the middle of the desert requires at least five days of walking to reach Interstate 8. The route also crosses through a military bombing range, which includes restricted areas with unexploded ordinance.

Migrant flown to YRMC after being found near fence

A Wellton Border Patrol agent trained as an emergency medical technician provided lifesaving aid to a migrant found lying on the ground near the border fence in a remote area of the desert.

A security contractor monitoring equipment in the area initially discovered the man and called agents for help. An agent/EMT assigned to Camp Grip, a forward operating base located in a remote area of the Sonoran Desert near the Yuma/Pima County line, responded. The agent/EMT provided initial treatment and after determining the migrant was suffering physical and mental effects of severe dehydration and heat exhaustion, he requested an air ambulance.

The 25-year-old Mexican national was flown to Yuma Regional Medical Center for further treatment.

Agents catch two convicted felons

Two convicted felons were caught within 15 minutes of each other by Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents Wednesday night.

At approximately 11:15 p.m., Yuma agents patrolling the desert south of the Foothills encountered a group of six Mexican nationals who illegally entered the country and were attempting to avoid detection.

The migrants were apprehended, arrested and transported to the Yuma station for processing.

Record checks conducted on the group revealed Isaac Humberto Cuen-Lugo, 28, had two felony convictions for a drive-by shooting and theft in Maricopa County in 2011. Cuen-Lugo was sentenced to seven years in prison and formally removed from the U.S. upon his release.

Fifteen minutes later, agents patrolling on the west side of Yuma near Morelos Dam encountered a migrant after he illegally crossed the border.

Agents identified the migrant as Armando Velize-Samayoa, a 55-year-old Mexican national. Record checks conducted on Velize-Samayoa revealed he had two felony convictions in California – one for transporting and selling narcotics in 1988 and one for a bank robbery in 1991. Velize-Samayoa also had several felony convictions for re-entry of a removed alien. His most recent formal removal was in 2020.

Both felons will be prosecuted for re-entry of a removed alien and face additional prison time.

Felon among migrants found near Andrade

A migrant convicted of voluntary manslaughter is the latest felon arrested by Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents.

Agents assigned to the Yuma Station encountered Jose Reynaldo Argueta-Ventura, a 41-year-old from El Salvador, among a group of three migrants who illegally entered the United States from Mexico west of the Andrade, California Port of Entry Thursday night.

Argueta-Ventura was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in California in 2010 and sentenced to 11 years in the Calipatria State Prison. He was subsequently ordered removed from the U.S. by an immigration court.

Argueta-Ventura will be prosecuted for re-entry of a removed alien.