CBP officers at Brownsville Port of Entry arrest man wanted for sex-related offense involving a child

BROWNSVILLE, Texas- U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Brownsville Port of Entry officers apprehended a man wanted in the Hidalgo County area on a felony warrant for a sex-related offense involving a child.

"Our frontline CBP officers remain ever vigilant and apprehended a man wanted on an outstanding warrant for an alleged sex-related offense involving a child," said Port Director Tater Ortiz, Brownsville Port of Entry. "These kinds of apprehensions perfectly exemplify our border security mission and our efforts to help keep our communities safe."

The fugitive apprehension occurred on Jan. 30, when CBP officers at the Gateway Bridge referred pedestrian Luis Alberto Zarate Pegueros, a 41-year-old male Mexican citizen, for secondary inspection. After escorting Zarate Pegueros to secondary inspection, subsequent biometric verification through law enforcement databases confirmed that the traveler had outstanding felony warrant for indecency with a child by contact issued by the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office. Zarate Pegueros was turned over to U.S. Marshals and Hidalgo County sheriff's deputies for adjudication of the warrant.

The National Crime Information Center is a centralized automated database designed to share information among law enforcement agencies including outstanding warrants for a wide range of offenses. Based on information from NCIC, CBP officers have made previous arrests of individuals wanted for homicide, escape, money laundering, robbery, narcotics distribution, sexual child abuse, fraud, larceny, and military desertion. Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Follow the Director of CBP's Laredo Field Office on X @DFOLaredo and Instagram @dfolaredo as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection at X @CBPSouthTexas for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 67,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We enforce safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.

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