see also: in February 2003:   Investigators from U.S. Customs and District Attorney's Office Arrest Impersonator of Federal Agent   U.S. Ambassador Presents $843,388 Forfeiture Check to Mexico as a Result of Joint Probe Into Former Mexican Deputy Attorney General   Customs Recruitment Strategy Perpetuates Excellence   Customs Has New Number for 24-Hour Rule Conference Call   Expired Permit Leads to Drug Smuggling Charges (pdf - 24 KB.)   At the Otay Mesa Border Station Customs Seizes 10 Tons of Marijuana   Container Security Initiative Expands Beyond the Megaports, Strengthening Anti-Terror Coalition ...more on cbp.gov:   Press Officers   CBP News Releases

contacts for this news release

SAN DIEGO - A Chula Vista man accused of posing as a U.S. Customs Service special agent to defraud area victims of thousands of dollars with the lure of low priced seized vehicles will be arraigned at the South County courthouse this morning following his arrest on Friday by county and federal investigators.

Victor Valdez Banuelos, 37, was arrested without incident at his residence Friday morning by investigators of the San Diego County district attorney's office and U.S. Customs office of internal affairs and charged with defrauding four county residents out of over $6,000.

He allegedly met individually with the victims in December 2002 through January 2003 and told each the vehicles, supposedly seized by U.S. Customs at the border, could be purchased at a fraction of their usual cost using his "official contacts" as a Customs law enforcement officer. He took each victim to a fenced storage lot in the Otay Mesa area where the victims could choose vehicles for subsequent purchase.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said, "We are very pleased this man is finally off the streets. It seems this suspect preyed on very vulnerable people who, unfortunately, believed he was a real U.S. Customs agent."

The victims, all women, allegedly paid Banuelos deposits of between $500 to $3,750 for the vehicles, officials said.

Banuelos never delivered the vehicles nor returned the money to each buyer, officials said.

"We're concerned that there may be additional victims who were lured by Mr. Banuelos into making large down payments for vehicles that never materialized, " said Herb Kaufer, Customs resident agent in charge of the San Diego internal affairs office. "We ask that those individuals call us as soon as possible so that we can talk with them about Mr. Banuelos' activities. The Office of Internal Affairs will vigorously pursue criminal allegations that question the integrity of the Service or its employees."

Kaufer urged possible victims to call his office at (619) 557-5581.