New Mexico CBP Agents Arrest Wanted Sex Offender

U.S. Border Patrol Agents assigned to the Las Cruces Station arrested a wanted subject yesterday on charges of “Sexual Penetration of a Minor” while assisting the Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD).

On the morning of May 30th, Agents from Las Cruces were assisting the LCPD in identifying a subject they believed was providing a false name.  The subject was initially stopped for a traffic violation, and the Las Cruces Police Officer also discovered he was driving with an open container.

While being questioned, the subject was unable to provide any form of identification.  The officer then transported the subject to the Las Cruces Border Patrol Station to be fingerprinted and have his biometric information submitted into their data-bases.

The subject was identified as 35-year old Jose Roberto Chavez.  The immigration and criminal databases revealed that Chavez had a previous immigration history along with a warrant out of Las Cruces, New Mexico for “Criminal Sexual Penetration of a Minor”.

Chavez is a citizen and national of Mexico by birth.  He has been processed for 8 USC 1325 Entry without inspection, and has been booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility pending criminal proceedings.  After his federal judicial proceedings have concluded he will be turned over to the United States Marshal Service for extradition to New Mexico to face the charges against him.

This incident is a good indicator of why the collaboration of law enforcement agencies is paramount.  Strong vigilance by the Las Cruces Police Department officers and U.S. Border Patrol agents was instrumental in preventing this suspected sex offender from gaining access to area communities, while helping to keep our nation’s borders safe.