A Mexican national, previously convicted on felony charges related to narcotics distribution, was recently detained by Border Patrol agents at the Nogales Station. The announcement was made by Chief Patrol Agent John R. Modlin on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter).
Modlin stated, "Armando Rosas-Guardian faces criminal charges for illegal re-entry following his arrest by Nogales Station agents. The Mexican national has prior felony convictions in #NorthCarolina for possession of cocaine and marijuana, both with intent to distribute. #BorderSecurity."
The aforementioned convictions in North Carolina date back to 2018 when Rosas-Guardian was arrested by the Marion Police Department on charges of possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute, according to McDowell News. In addition to these charges, Guardian was also apprehended for driving while his license was revoked, reckless driving, simple possession of a schedule IV controlled substance, possession of marijuana between 1/2 and 1 ½ ounces and possession of marijuana paraphernalia.
As per a police report, at approximately 1:21 p.m. on December 17th, Rosas-Guardian became distracted while trying to play music from his phone which led to an accident where the white Chevy vehicle he was driving veered off the road and hit a utility pole. A passenger in the vehicle recounted the incident to police who subsequently discovered 0.58 grams of weed, three Xanax pills and a gram of cocaine in Guardian's possession. At that time, Guardian was only 19 years old. The estimated damage caused to the pole and vehicle amounted to $6,500.
In related news from Customs and Border Protection (CBP), a substantial seizure of narcotics occurred near Amado. According to a CBP news release, a Nogales Station Border Patrol agent and his K9 partner discovered four abandoned duffel bags containing drugs on October 5th near the Interstate 19 immigration checkpoint. Tests conducted on the narcotics revealed that the bags contained 71 pounds of meth, with a projected street value of $63,796, and 63.3 pounds of fentanyl, estimated to be worth $416,150.
