Border Patrol arrest MS-13 gang member
A 25-year-old member of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha gang was arrested Sunday night in Calexico after he illegally entered the U.S.
At around 9 p.m., Border Patrol agents patrolling about three miles west of the Calexico Port of Entry observed a man scale over the international boundary fence and illegally enter the United States.
Agents arrested him and after a record check, he was identified as Leonel Ramirez Martinez, a citizen of Honduras. Agents discovered that Martinez had several felony convictions for assault, was previously deported and met the guidelines for prosecution after re-entry.
The man’s several tattoos revealed his affiliation with the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang from Honduras.
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Martinez was previously arrested by New York Police department twice for felony assault in 2013 and 2014.
“Individuals encountered and arrested at the border do not typically stay near the border,” said Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David Kim, “The arrest of this gang member shows that he has ties to New York and has victimized people in that community. Our agents stopping and arresting him at the border means he won’t get another opportunity to victimize any community in this country.”
Martinez will be prosecuted for re-entry-after-removal.
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