Sex Offenders, Gang Members Being Smuggled Through the Valley
Posted: Sep 4, 2013 7:06 PM
Updated: Sep 5, 2013 12:36 AM

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WESLACO - Sexual predators and violent gang members are being smuggled into the United States through South Texas, Border Patrol officials said.

Some of those suspects have ties to infamous street gangs in Central America. Ranchers in Brooks County said they've had encounters with the violent immigrants.

"He scared the bejesus out of me," rancher Linda Vickers said of the time she ran into a member of MS-13 in her property.

Vickers and her husband own a ranch near the Border Patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias. Immigrants often trek through their property to go around the inspection station.

"Over the past couple of months we've had three or four agents assaulted here on our own ranch," Vickers said.

"The fact is, they continue to come here," Border Patrol Spokesman Henry Mendiola said.

Mendiola said agents arrested more than 70 MS-13 gang members this fiscal year in the Rio Grande Valley.

"We don't know who these people are until we actually get them to the station, run their fingerprints and see their criminal history when it comes back," Mendiola said.

Mendiola said they don't know why more Salvadorian gang members are being smuggled into the country. He said some could be fleeing gang life.
"Or it could be that they're coming to the United States to join them," Mendiola said.

Mendiola said agents arrested 20 known sex offenders in the Valley last month.

"The question has to go back to that, to that group, and find out if there was anybody in there that may have been assaulted or may have been a victim of this particular individual," Mendiola said.

Mendiola said the sexual predators often victimize women who are traveling with groups of immigrants. He said the crimes are difficult to investigate.

The victims - women and children - are taken to Valley hospitals, he said.
The assaults often happen during the trek north, Mendiola said.

Mendiola said about 80 agents stationed in the Valley have had violent encounters with illegal immigrants.

http://www.krgv.com/news/sex-offende...gh-the-valley/