CBP Officers Nab Fleeing Homicide Suspect Another Arrested for Attempting to Smuggle Heroin

 
(Tuesday, April 19, 2011)

contacts for this news release

San Luis, Ariz. - Over the weekend, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers apprehended a homicide suspect who was attempting to flee the U.S. to avoid prosecution. They also arrested a man for attempting to smuggle heroin into the country by hiding the narcotics inside his shoes.

On April 16, CBP officers who were conducting outbound operations at the San Luis port selected a man walking towards Mexico for further inspection. Subsequently, officers discovered the man did not possess immigration documents authorizing him to live or work in the U.S. A records check revealed the man was wanted in connection with a homicide that occurred in the Phoenix area just hours earlier. The man was taken into custody and turned over to the Phoenix Police Department.

“The sharing of information between law enforcement agencies is critical,” said Port Director William K. Brooks. “I am extremely proud of how our CBP officers use this information to apprehend a dangerous criminal so he can face justice.”

On that same day, CBP officers at the San Luis port were screening travelers entering the country through the pedestrian lanes when they encountered a 27-year-old Mexican citizen. During the primary interview, officers observed the man’s nervous behavior and referred him for a secondary inspection. Subsequently, CBP officers found each of the man’s shoes contained one package of heroin. The seized narcotics weighed more than two pounds with an estimated value of $32,000. The man was taken into custody and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Person of Color paints her face white to push racist views

2 Mexican men sentenced to prison for attempting to export munitions

MCALLEN, Texas - Two illegal aliens from Mexico were sentenced on Thursday to federal prison for their roles in attempting to export munitions from the United States without a license, announced U.S. Attorney José Angel Moreno, Southern District of Texas. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Sergio Perez-Contreas, 72, was sentenced to 37 months imprisonment, while Jose Jesus Miramontes-Duarte, 59, received a 30-month sentence by Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa during a hearing held on Thursday. Both defendants were convicted of attempting to export munitions without a license in June 2010 after pleading guilty to the felony offense.

According to court documents, the convictions and sentences stem from an investigation by ICE HSI agents. On March 5, 2009, they observed Perez-Contreras leaving the business of a local federal firearms licensee (FFL) with several packages. He then entered a taxi, and ultimately arrived at a warehouse in south McAllen. Once he arrived at the warehouse, Perez-Contreras met with Miramontes-Duarte and transferred the packages from the taxi to the cab of a tractor trailer driven by Miramontes-Duarte. Perez-Contreras then left in the taxi and ultimately arrived at the Hidalgo, Texas, Port of Entry.

At the port of entry, Perez-Contreras was stopped by ICE HSI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents as he attempted to depart the United States. In his possession, Perez-Contreras had a receipt for the purchase of 5,000 small pistol primers, 1,400 large pistol primers, 1,100 assorted calibers of rifle bullets, 19 pounds of smokeless power, and two rifle barrel blanks from the FFL where he had been seen earlier in the day. With these munitions, about 7500 rounds of pistol and rifle ammunition could be manufactured.

Meanwhile, Miramontes-Duarte left the warehouse area and was seen driving to another location where he rearranged the firearms parts and ammunition components in the cab of his truck. When Miramontes-Duarte attempted to depart the United States through the Pharr, Texas, Port of Entry, he was also stopped by ICE HSI agents and CBP officers. The ammunition components for which his co-defendant had the receipt were discovered in the cab of his truck. Further investigation revealed that Perez-Contreras had illegally exported munitions 12 other times.

Both Perez-Contreras and Miramontes-Duarte have been in federal custody without bond since their arrest on March 5, 2009. They will remain in custody pending transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility where they will serve out their sentences.

Perez-Contreras and Miramontes-Duarte are subject to deportation after they complete their prison sentences. The court has further ordered each man to serve a two-year-term of supervised release. These conditions will be enforceable if either man returns to the United States, even illegally. If they fail to abide by any condition, an additional prison sentence may be added.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Schammel, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.

Illegal Alien Convicted of Murder of BP Agent

Jesus Navarro Montes, a Mexican national from Mexicali, was convicted of second-degree murder for the death of Border Patrol Agent Luis Aguilar. On January 19, 2008, Navarro was driving a Hummer transporting drugs into the United States from Mexico on I-8 west of Yuma, Arizona. Border Patrol was following him and another suspect driving a Ford truck. Navarro turned around when he realized he was being followed.

Aguilar, 32-years-old and a 6 year veteran of the Border Patrol stationed in the Yuma Sector, was setting up spike strips near the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area when Navarro spotted him and intentionally ran him over and then fled to Mexico.

Agent Luis Aguilar

Navarro was captured in Mexico and extradited to the United States to stand trial. Navarro was convicted of narcotics violations in addition to the murder charge. A federal jury returned the verdict in less than two hours.

Aguilar is survived by a wife, two children and two siblings.

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"Our office is gratified by the jury's verdict in this case and appreciates the service of each juror,” said United States Attorney Laura E. Duffy in a Department of Justice press release. “The entire prosecution team's efforts in securing defendant Navarro-Montes' presence in the United States and the presentation of the case has been nothing short of outstanding.”

Navarro faces maximum sentences of life in prison for murder and 40 years in prison on the drug charge. U.S. District Judge Michael Anello scheduled sentencing for 9 a.m. on June 27, 2011.