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  4. Child Predator Nabbed at Hidalgo International Bridge by CBP Field Operations

Child Predator Nabbed at Hidalgo International Bridge by CBP Field Operations

Release Date
Fri, 10/09/2015

HIDALGO, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested a 74-year-old man on an outstanding arrest warrant from California for sexual assault of a child.

“This is the second person wanted on charges for child sexual assault our officers have detected and arrested this week,” said Acting Port Director Javier Cantu, Hidalgo/ Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry. “CBP Field Operations is always ready to assist our law enforcement partners in locating individuals who are fugitives of the law in order to face the consequences of their alleged actions.”

CBP officers assigned to the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge on Oct. 7, encountered Ernest Anthony Saiz, a U.S. citizen who had been living in Mexico as he arrived as a pedestrian. A primary inspection revealed that he was a possible match to an outstanding arrest warrant and was escorted to secondary for biometric verification. Checks through law enforcement and CBP databases confirmed the active, nine-count warrant from the Woodland, California Police Department for lewd acts with a child, all first-degree felonies.

Saiz is accused of allegedly having inappropriate sexual contact with several minor girls between the ages of six to 11 from 2007 to 2012, all involving family members in Yolo County, California. CBP OFO arrested Saiz and then released him to the custody of a U.S. Marshal Service deputy who booked him at the Hidalgo County jail, where he will await extradition proceedings.

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.

Last Modified: Feb 03, 2021