LAREDO, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), officers at the Laredo Port of Entry, detained one male Mexican Citizen wanted for rape and domestic battery.

“The apprehension of persons wanted for crimes of a sexual nature provides critical assistance to our law enforcement partners and helps to keep our communities secure,” said Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “Verification of wanted persons though law enforcement databases has helped aid law enforcement in their pursuit of these alleged criminals and bringing them to justice.”

The fugitive apprehension occurred on Friday, Jan. 20, at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge. A CBP officer inspecting vehicle traffic arriving from Mexico, referred Andres Gerardo Felipe, a 43-year-old male Mexican citizen, for a secondary inspection.  After escorting the passenger to secondary, subsequent biometric verification through law enforcement databases confirmed that the subject had an outstanding felony warrant for rape and domestic battery, issued by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office out of Indianapolis. The warrant was confirmed to be active. The subject was turned over to the Webb County Sheriff’s Office to await criminal proceedings. 

The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is a centralized automated database designed to share information among law enforcement agencies including outstanding warrants for a wide range of offenses. Based on information from NCIC, CBP officers have made previous arrests of individuals wanted for homicide, escape, money laundering, robbery, narcotics distribution, sexual child abuse, fraud, larceny, and military desertion. Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Follow the Director of CBP’s Laredo Field Office on Twitter at @DFOLaredo and also U.S. Customs and Border Protection at @CBPSouthTexas for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the comprehensive management, control, and protection of our nation’s borders, combining customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection at and between official ports of entry.