Roma, Texas— Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), at the Roma port of entry arrested a 25-year-old man from Harrisonburg, Virginia who is allegedly wanted by the police department in that same city on rape charges.
“Our officers have detected this person accused of rape who had been on the run for a while,” 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 types of violators.”
On Tuesday evening, February 18, CBP officers working at the Roma-Miguel Aleman International Bridge encountered Jose Ibarra Molina, a United States citizen, as he attempted to enter the U.S. as a pedestrian. Ibarra presented a State of Florida issued birth certificate along with a State of Virginia issued identification card, and a primary database query revealed a possible match to an outstanding arrest warrant. CBP officers secured him and took him to secondary where they conducted biometric checks through CBP and law enforcement databases, verifying his identity and determining that he was a positive match to the rape by force warrant from the Harrisonburg Police Department. This felony charge was issued to Ibarra in July 2012 after allegedly breaking and entering into an apartment complex and sexually assaulting a female, who subsequently filed the charges against him.
CBP arrested Ibarra, released him to the Roma Police Department who transported him to the Starr County Jail where he will wait to be transferred back to Virginia. Harrisonburg is approximately 100 miles from Washington D.C.