ROMA, TEXAS—Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Roma Port of Entry arrested a 47-year-old man from San Benito, Texas who was allegedly wanted in that same city on child molestation charges.
CBP officers working at the Roma-Miguel Aleman International Bridge encountered Jacobo Rodriguez Pena, a Mexican national lawful permanent resident from San Benito as he attempted to enter the U.S. as a pedestrian. Pena presented an expired LPR card, which he claimed he wished to renew and a primary database query revealed a possible match to an outstanding warrant from the San Benito Police Department.
CBP officers secured him and took him to secondary where they conducted biometric checks through CBP and law-enforcement databases, which resulted in Pena being a positive match to the child fondling/molestation warrant. This second-degree felony charge was issued to Pena in 2008 when the victim was approximately 14 or 15-years old.
Officers arrested Pena, released him to the Roma Police Department who transported him to the Starr County Jail where he will wait to be transferred back to Cameron County.
"Our officers have detected a suspected child sexual predator who had been on the run for several years," said Crescencio (Cris) Cantu, Port Director, Roma Port of Entry. "The detection of this fugitive exemplifies CBP Field Operations' commitment to safeguard our communities from all type of violators."