Customs and Border Protection officers at Laredo Port of Entry have cracked down on individuals wanted for serious crimes, having recently apprehended a man sought for an aggravated sexual assault of a child that is dating back to the 1980s, alongside another young man wanted for statutory rape. The officers, employing biometric verification and the resources of the National Crime Information Center, were able to identify and detain both suspects, as reported by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
According to a press release from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Roberto Gallegos Hernandez, 70, was taken into custody on Nov. 12. Traveling as a passenger in a vehicle, Gallegos, a resident alien and citizen of Mexico, was referred for a secondary inspection at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge. The verification process revealed an outstanding felony warrant from 1987, issued by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office. Wanted since nearly four decades, the suspect has now been placed in Webb County jail to await further legal proceedings.
The following day, another arrest was made at the same bridge where Alexis Gael Gonzalez Torres, 21, a U.S. citizen, was stopped while traveling by bus. Taken to secondary inspection, his identity check uncovered a warrant for statutory rape of a child. This warrant was issued by the Statesville Police Department in Statesville, North Carolina. Gonzalez Torres was subsequently transported to Webb County jail as well, as stated in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's announcement.
"It was a long time coming, nearly 40 years, but the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at Laredo Port of Entry encountered and brought to justice a traveler wanted on longtime outstanding warrant for a sex related offense against a child," Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry Port Director, noted the significance of the arrest. "This apprehension, and the apprehension a day later of a man wanted for statutory child rape exemplify our continued commitment to protecting our communities and reinforce that harm toward children is reprehensible and will not be tolerated," he further expressed in the agency's release.
National Crime Information Center's role as a centralized system is critical in sharing information among law enforcement agencies, enabling efficient communication regarding outstanding warrants for a host of offenses. While the recent arrests highlight U.S. Customs and Border Protection's commitment to intercepting individuals accused of crimes against children, the National Crime Information Center database is instrumental in a broader array of cases, from homicide and narcotics distribution to military desertion.
