U.S Border Patrol agents in the Del Rio, Texas, sector captured two foreign nationals who had previously been deported for sex crimes against children. One of the men was deported to Guatemala earlier this year.
Agents assigned to the Carrizo Springs, Texas, station captured Pedro Gomez-Vidal, 24, after he illegally re-entered the U.S. from Mexico on September 24. When the agents took the subject to the Border Patrol station for processing they discovered the Mexican national had been previously deported after his release from a Virginia prison, according to information obtained by Breitbart Texas from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) spokesman Dennis Smith.
Gomez-Vidal had been convicted in a Prince William County, Virginia, circuit court in January 2012 on a charge of felony carnal knowledge of a minor. He was sentenced to five years in prison and was subsequently removed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) agents.
Four days later, agents assigned to the Eagle Pass station arrested Hector Edmundo Pinto-Machorro, 63 after he had illegally re-entered the country. The Guatemalan national was taken to the station for processing and agents learned that Pinto-Machorro had been previously deported for a sexual offense against a child in San Antonio, the CBP statement revealed.
The Guatemalan man was convicted by a San Antonio district court on a charge of indecency with a child including sexual contact in February 2016. He was subsequently processed for removal by ERO agents.
“This is another excellent example of our agents’ expertise and vigilance in preventing dangerous criminals from entering the United States,” Del Rio Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak said in the written statement. “We’re proud of our agents and the dedication demonstrated daily in support of the Border Patrol’s mission.”
The two previously deported sex offenders will now face federal charges of illegal re-entry after deportation by a sex offender. If convicted under 8 USC § 1326 by a federal court in the Western District of Texas, the men could each receive a prison sentence of up to 20 years.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.