Child Sex Offender Arrested After Crossing U.S. Border with Migrant Families

Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents arrested a previously deported child sex offender after he illegally crossed into the U.S. with a group of migrant families.

Border Patrol agents monitoring surveillance cameras east of the San Luis Port of Entry observed a group of 24 illegal immigrants crossing the border from Mexico on January 11. Ground-based agents responded to the area and approached the group of migrants, according to information provided by Yuma Sector Border Patrol officials.

The agents placed all 24 in custody and transported them to the station for processing and identification. Officials said the group consisted mainly of Central American families. Officials could not say, at this time, if any unaccompanied minors were part of the group.

As part of the processing, all migrants are run through an extensive biometric background investigation to determine if they have any prior criminal or immigration history.

In this case, agents discovered 37-year-0ld Morcos Velasquez-Taperio, a Guatemalan national, has a criminal and immigration history that includes a prior deportation following a conviction for illegal sexual contact with a minor. Court records show that a Fort County, Kansas, court convicted Valasquez in 2009 for Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child. Following his conviction, the court sentenced him to 32 months in prison. Immigration officials deported him to Guatemala after he served his sentence.

Kansas statutes define Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child as:

(1) Sexual intercourse with a child who is 14 or more years of age but less than 16 years of age;

(2) engaging in any of the following acts with a child who is 14 or more years of age but less than 16 years of age and who does not consent thereto:

(A) Any lewd fondling or touching of the person of either the child or the offender, done or submitted to with the intent to arouse or to satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the offender, or both; or

(B) causing the child to engage in any lewd fondling or touching of the person of another with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of the child, the offender or another; or

(3) engaging in any of the following acts with a child who is under 14 years of age:

(A) Any lewd fondling or touching of the person of either the child or the offender, done or submitted to with the intent to arouse or to satisfy the sexual desires of either the child or the offender, or both; or

(B) soliciting the child to engage in any lewd fondling or touching of the person of another with the intent to arouse or satisfy the sexual desires of the child, the offender or another.

Velasquez now faces federal felony charges for allegedly re-entering the country illegally after being deported as a sex offender. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison before being deported again.

Border Patrol agents processed the other 23 migrants under Yuma Sector guidelines.