U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Tucson Station apprehended a registered sex offender near Sasabe, Arizona, early Saturday morning.
Surveillance technology alerted agents to a group of suspected illegal aliens walking through the desert near the town around 1:30 a.m. When the agents investigated, they discovered and arrested five individuals, a man from Guatemala as well as three women and a man from Mexico. All five had entered the country illegally.
During processing at the Tucson Coordination Center, records checks revealed the Guatemalan man, Gerardo Suruy-Xiquin, was a registered sex offender. Suruy was convicted in 2023 in the 12th circuit court of Florida for multiple counts of sexual battery by juvenile / victim under 12 years old. The conviction resulted in a 2-year jail sentence.
Suruy is being held at the Tucson Coordination Center. He faces prosecution for illegal reentry into the United States under 8 U.S.C. § 1326. The other subjects will be charged for entry without inspection under 8 U.S.C. § 1325.
U.S. Border Patrol continues to work tirelessly to secure the borders and protect our communities. Suruy’s arrest highlights its ongoing efforts to ensure individuals with a history of violent offenses are identified and held accountable.