see also: in October 2007 News Releases:   Cocaine Smuggler Tries To Trick El Paso CBP Officers by Hiding Drugs in Car Body   Border Patrol Agents in Texas Seize Marijuana Worth $1 Million Hidden Under Watermelons   Fingerprint Check Allows Border Patrol to Arrest Murder Suspect   Border Patrol Texas Task Force Seizes 500 Pounds of Marijuana   CBP Officers at Mail Facility Find Marijuana in Cement Statues, Opium   Tecate, Calif. Cargo Processing Port to Resume Operations Wednesday Morning   CBP at Newark Airport Discovers Man with Fraudulent Documents, False Claim to U.S. Citizenship ...more on cbp.gov:   CBP News Releases   Press Officers

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Washington – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol agents arrested three subjects this week, in separate incidents, with criminal records for or wanted for sexual-related crimes.

On Thursday, Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Paso, Texas sector apprehended Erik Monrroy-Alvarez, a 24-year-old illegal alien from El Salvador. Agents first noticed Monrroy as he pulled up to the primary position at the Las Cruces, N.M. traffic checkpoint on Interstate 10. Monrroy’s nervous behavior during initial questioning led the agents to believe that he was hiding something, so he was directed to secondary inspection for further investigation.

At the secondary inspection point, Monrroy admitted to being in the U.S. illegally, and agents immediately arrested him. During processing, the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System produced a criminal record on the subject, which advised that Monrroy had an active felony warrant from Ottumwa, Iowa for sexual assault of a minor. Agents confirmed the validity of the warrant and Monrroy was taken into custody by the New Mexico State Police pending extradition to Iowa.

On Monday, Border Patrol agents assigned to the Naco, Ariz. station, encountered Roberto Santos-Escobar, a 23-year-old illegal alien from Mexico. Santos was arrested after he illegally entered the U.S. near Naco. At the station, the fingerprint match system revealed that Santos had been convicted of a felony for forcible sex abuse and contributing to the delinquency of a minor in Summit County, Utah. Santos was subsequently processed for removal proceedings.

In another arrest Monday, Border Patrol Agents assigned to the El Centro, Calif., station encountered Jose Sanchez-Larios, a 29-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, near Calexico, Calif.

After crossing the border illegally, agents arrested and then transported Sanchez back to the El Centro station for processing and records checks. At the station, the fingerprint match system produced a criminal record pertaining to Sanchez, which advised that Sanchez had been convicted of having sex with a minor in 2002.

IAFIS also indicated that Sanchez had an outstanding warrant for his arrest from the California Department of Corrections. Officials from California were contacted, and Sanchez was turned over to them.

This is not the first time the Border Patrol has apprehended subjects with criminal records. In fiscal year 2007, which ended Sunday, the IAFIS system identified more than 400 hits for sexual assault from a total of more than 122,000 hits for overall crimes.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of the nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.