C.B.P. News Release

CBP Officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge Arrest Capital Murder Suspect

Man Wanted by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office

(Tuesday, January 04, 2011)

Hidalgo, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge took custody of an alleged fugitive returned to the U.S. by Mexican law enforcement authorities.

On Jan. 1, Mexican law enforcement authorities turned over to CBP officers a man wanted by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office on a charge of capital murder. The fugitive was identified as Santiago De Leon, a U.S. citizen, 20, from El Paso. A check of a national crime database identified De Leon as a fugitive wanted by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office on an alleged state charge of capital murder. After his arrest, De Leon was transferred to the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service. De Leon remains incarcerated pending extradition to El Paso.

Hector A. Mancha, CBP Port Director, Hidalgo/Pharr said, “I commend our frontline officers for coordinating and processing the return of this fugitive to U.S. custody.â€