Two men with violent criminal histories were apprehended U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Ajo Station shortly after they entered the U.S. illegally near Ajo in separate incidents.
On Friday morning, agents arrested 36-year-old Alejandro Ramirez Santiago, a Mexican national, after he illegally crossed the border near Ajo. When agents conducted a records check on Ramirez, they learned he had been convicted in Texas of sexual assault and sentenced to three years confinement in 2006.
Later in the afternoon, Ajo agents apprehended a 42-year-old El Salvadorian, Santos Ayala-Alfaro, for being illegally present in the United States. During processing, agents discovered that Ayala has been previously convicted in Kings County, Washington in 2008 for possession of cocaine, in 2009 for manufacturing and dealing a schedule three narcotic, and in 2012 for rape, assault, and harassment. Ayala was sentenced to a combined 123 months confinement for his crimes.
Both men will remain in federal custody pending prosecution for criminal felony immigration charges.