http://www.svherald.com/articles/2005/0 ... /news3.txt

Border Patrol nabs alleged gang member
Tuesday, March 15, 2005 12:47 PM MST
BILL HESS

Herald/Review

TUCSON - A Mexican national with an extensive criminal history in the United States, who said he is a member of a Mexican gang, was taken into custody Sunday by agents from the U.S. Border Patrol's Naco Station.

Arrested was Eulogio Soriano-Vasquez, 30, who was apprehended after crawling under the border fence west of Naco. He was taken into custody with a small group of illegal immigrants who tried to enter the United States around 6 a.m.

During his processing, it was discovered Soriano had been arrested for the possession and sale of cocaine in Palm Beach, Fla., in March 1996.

In January 2001, he was arrested again for illegal entry in Grand Rapids, Mich., which led to a four year sentence and three years supervised release. In August 2001, Soriano was again arrested in Lake County, Ill., on aggravated battery and sentenced to two years in prison.

During the processing at the Naco Station, it was noted that Soriano had a number of gang tattoos.

Jose Garza, a spokesman for the agency's Tucson Sector, said Soriano told agents he is a member of the Border Brothers, a Mexican gang.

However, Garza said he has no knowledge of a gang by that name. Federal agents have been cracking down on a violent gang with ties to Central America.

Monday, Michael J. Garcia, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the arrest of 103 members of Mara Salvatrucha 13, or MS-13.

Those arrested include 30 taken into custody in New York City, 25 in Washington, D.C., 17 in Los Angeles, 10 each in Baltimore, Newark, N.J. and Miami. One was arrested in Dallas, Texas.

The MS-13 gang members were arrested on federal charges of re-entering the United States illegally after being prosecuted and deported for attempted murder, sodomy, assault, arson, weapons possession and narcotics violations.

The ICE roundup is called Operation Community Shield. Russell Ahr, an Arizona ICE spokesman said none of the 103 arrested have a connection to the state.

Recently, Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever said there was a hint from intelligence circles that MS-13 gang members were interested in disrupting the upcoming Minuteman Project in the county in April.

The leaders of the Minuteman Project have said they will be bringing 900 volunteers to the county to help secure the border.

As for Soriano, Garza said he is being held pending federal prosecution and removal proceedings.

Since Oct. 1, through Sunday, agents of the Border Patrol's Tucson Sector have arrested 13,392 criminal aliens, of which 1,824 have been for drug and/or aggravated assault charges.