U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Tucson Sector have been actively involved in the apprehension of illegal aliens, as reported by Chief John R. Modlin on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Modlin revealed, "On January 26, USBP agents swiftly responded to a group of suspected migrants detected by border technology in a remote area of the Atascosa Mountains, west of Nogales, AZ. Agents successfully apprehended the group of Guatemalan citizens as they attempted to evade arrest." He further added, "Several suspected migrants were detected near Highway 80 northeast of Douglas, AZ. Agents on the #HorsePatrol Unit responded, tracked, and apprehended a group of 15 migrants as they were attempting to evade arrest. Outstanding work Douglas Station agents!"
This report follows closely after a Mexican migrant was sentenced to federal prison for violently assaulting a Border Patrol agent from the Tucson sector. Adbiel Martinez-Barrera, 21, from Guerrero, Mexico was sentenced by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to 13 months and one day in prison for the assault and for illegally entering the country on the day of the incident. The sentence was announced on Dec. 6.
According to a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office District of Arizona, this incident occurred in May when a Border Patrol agent responded to a call about two illegal aliens - a male and female - spotted in Douglas by a Border Patrol camera operator. The agent found them hiding in brushland and was attempting to arrest the female when Martinez-Barrera attacked him from behind causing both to fall.
The release states that Martinez-Barrera tried to suffocate the agent by placing his hand over his mouth and nose. Martinez-Barrera had illegally crossed into U.S territory earlier that evening and ran off after releasing his hold on the agent but was later arrested by backup agents who arrived at the scene. The investigation was led by Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol with Assistant U.S. Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, leading the prosecution.
