HIDALGO, Texas—U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (OFO) at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested a 63-year-old man from Mission, Texas who had an outstanding arrest warrant dating back to 2001.
“The saying, ‘you can run but you can’t hide’ held true for this individual who had been on the run for almost 15 years for not having appeared before a judge to face his charges filed in 1999,” said Port Director Efrain Solis Jr., Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry.
On March 17, CBP officers encountered Alonzo Galvan Campos, a legal permanent resident alien (LPR) from Mission as he attempted to enter the U.S. through the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge pedestrian walkway. An initial database query revealed that Galvan Campos was a possible match to an arrest warrant, therefore CBP officers secured and escorted him to secondary for further inspection. Utilizing biometric verification through CBP and law enforcement databases, officers confirmed Galvan’s identity and the arrest warrant from the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office for failure to appear, issued in Dec. 2001. This warrant stemmed from an arrest that occurred in 1999 by the Mission, Texas Police Department for an indecency with a child charge, a second-degree felony which was upgraded by the Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office (DA) to a first-degree felony, aggravated sexual assault of a child. Galvan was accused of allegedly having inappropriate contact with two boys, ages two and nine, at the time.
CBP OFO released Galvan to Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who transported him to the Hidalgo County Jail.
CBP OFO also arrested Steven L. Tallent, a 35-year-old U.S. citizen from Lebanon, Indiana, wanted by the local Sheriff’s office on a failure to appear charge, initiated by a charge of possession/dealing of a controlled substance. He was released to the Hidalgo, Texas Police Department who in turn transported him to the Hidalgo County Jail to await extradition procedures.
CBP’s Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry is part of the South Texas Campaign, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations.