Border Patrol agents arrest sex offender in Imperial County

U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the El Centro Sector arrested a previously deported sex offender, along with four other individuals at the Highway 111 Checkpoint early Monday morning.

The incident occurred at 5:30 a.m., when Border Patrol agents assigned to the Highway 111 Checkpoint said they referred a vehicle to secondary inspection after a brief immigration interview. At secondary inspection, it was determined that the four passengers of the vehicle did not have any immigration documents.

Agents arrested the driver and passengers and transported them to the Indio Station for processing.

Agents conducted record checks, which revealed that one individual, identified as Bladimir Martinez, had been previously convicted for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 years of age ; he was sentenced to three years in prison. Furthermore, record checks revealed Martinez subsequently was ordered removed by an immigration judge on January 24.

Bladimir Martinez, a 36-year-old Guatemalan citizen, will be prosecuted for re-entering the country.

In fiscal year 2018, El Centro Sector has arrested 21 sex offenders.