Yuma, Arizona - Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended two aggravated felons in separate incidents early Saturday morning.
Just after midnight, an agent assigned to the Yuma station encountered a migrant who illegally crossed the international border near the Andrade Port of Entry. The migrant was arrested and transported to the Yuma station for further processing. Record checks conducted on the migrant, Modesto Hernandez-Rechiga, revealed that he was a convicted felon. Hernandez-Rechiga, a 45-year-old Mexican national, was convicted of negligent vehicular homicide in California in 2004 and was sentenced to 16 months in prison. Hernandez-Rechiga also had several arrests and convictions for driving under the influence and served jail time for those as well.
Hernandez-Rechiga was formally removed from the United States in 2005. He was apprehended again and subsequently deported a second time in 2016 after serving jail time for reentry of a deported alien. For his latest illegal entry, Hernandez-Rechiga will again face charges for reentry of a deported alien, with an enhancement for being an aggravated felon, which could add more jail time to his sentence if convicted.
Approximately three hours later, Yuma agents apprehended another convicted felon who was part of a group of six migrants who illegally crossed the border south of the Foothills. Record checks conducted on the group revealed that Jose Ramos-Lopez, a 34-year-old Mexican national, was convicted of sexual battery in California in 2007 and sentenced to two years in prison. Ramos-Lopez served half of his sentence and was subsequently removed from the U.S. in 2008.
Ramos-Lopez faces charges for reentry of a deported alien, with an enhancement for the previous felony conviction.
Since the start of the fiscal year, October 1, 2020, Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents have apprehended 314 criminal aliens.
Felons over the weekend
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 official ports of entry. CBP is charged with securing the borders of the United States while enforcing hundreds of laws and facilitating lawful trade and travel.