ESCONDIDO: Man deported seven times arrested after traffic stop

By EDWARD SIFUENTES
Posted: Wednesday, September 21, 2011 5:08 pm

ESCONDIDO ---- A man who had been deported seven times was arrested earlier this month in Escondido for an expired vehicle registration, police said Wednesday.

Miguel Pantoja Fuentes, 59, was driving on the 400 block of North Fig Street about 1 p.m. Sept. 10 when an officer stopped him, said Lt. Craig Carter. When Fuentes was unable to produce a government-issued identification card, the officer called an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer to assist, Carter said.

The ICE officer was able to provide information about Fuente's criminal history, including robbery, marijuana possession for sale, hit-and-run and possession of a dangerous weapon, police said.

When the officer searched Fuentes, he found a knife hidden in his waistband, Carter said.

Under Operation Joint Effort, the Escondido Police Department partnered with ICE to help identify and arrest illegal immigrants who have been previously deported or who have a criminal history, Carter said. Since the program began in May last year, it has been credited with the arrest of 581 illegal immigrant criminals.

Fuentes was booked into the Vista jail on a charge of carrying a concealed knife. ICE placed an immigration hold on Fuentes

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