U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Brownsville Port of Entry recently detained a fugitive at the Gateway International Bridge who had an outstanding warrant related to a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
"This apprehension of a wanted person by our CBP officers is a testament to their commitment to keep our communities safe," stated Port Director Tater Ortiz, Brownsville Port of Entry.
On April 25, CBP officers performing routine checks at the Gateway International Bridge referred Yasser Ismail Abu Awwad Martínez for secondary inspection. The 23-year-old Mexican citizen was identified through biometric verification and federal law enforcement databases as having an outstanding felony warrant for failure to appear. The warrant was issued by the Cameron County Sheriff's Office in Olmito, Texas. It was discovered that Abu Awwad Martínez had been arrested on December 31, 2023, by the San Benito Police Department on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Following these procedures, CBP officers transferred Abu Awwad Martínez to the custody of the Cameron County Sheriff's Office.
The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) facilitates information sharing among law enforcement agencies, including data on outstanding warrants. CBP officers have previously made arrests based on NCIC information, including individuals wanted for serious offenses like homicide and espionage. It's important to note that criminal charges are merely allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
For updates, follow the Director of CBP’s Laredo Field Office at @DFOLaredo and U.S. Customs and Border Protection at @CBPSouthTexas.
The CBP, with over 65,000 personnel, is the largest law enforcement organization in the U.S., tasked with protecting the country through various means of security and facilitation of lawful travel and trade.
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