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El Paso, Texas – Border Patrol agents in El Paso, Texas yesterday arrested a man wanted for a homicide in New Mexico Wednesday night shortly after he crossed into the country illegally near the Bridge of the Americas.

Agents observed a group of individuals running across the U.S./Mexico border. As the agents were responding to the traffic, cameras monitoring the area were advising of the location and description of the individuals. Camera operators advised agents in the area that two male subjects were making their way toward the Chamizal Park area. Agents with the bike patrol unit were dispatched to the area where they encountered the individuals attempting to run into the housing area just north of Chamizal Park.

The subjects were transported to the Paso Del Norte Center for processing and identification. During processing one of the subjects, later identified as 31-year-old Saul Pena-Gonzalez of Mexico, was discovered to have an extensive criminal history to include assault, drug trafficking, burglary, larceny and an outstanding warrant for an open count of murder.

The warrant was issued out of Santa Fe, N.M. and police in that area agreed to his extradition to face prosecution. Gonzalez previously was removed from the United States in 2002 and stated he was on his way to Dallas at the time of his capture. Gonzalez was processed for extradition and turned over to the El Paso Police Department.

This most recent arrest exemplifies the ongoing efforts by the U.S. Border Patrol to continue to work with other law enforcement agencies in an effort to keep criminal activity out of our communities while helping to secure America’s borders.

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 our 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.