4 men convicted, or facing child sex abuse charges arrested at Texas-Mexico border
DEL RIO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested four men convicted of or facing child sex sex abuse charges at the Texas-Mexico border the second week of July.
Two were arrested while trying to illegally entered the United States by crossing the Rio Grande River on July 9. During processing, Brackettville Station agents said records checks revealed that one of the men, a Mexican national named Martin Hernandez-Palma, 49, was previously convicted of forced lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14 in California. He was sentenced to eight years in prison in 2014.
Six years later, Hernandez-Palma was deported.
Down the road, Uvalde Border Patrol agents encountered and apprehended a Mexican national, Misael Gonzalez-Gonzalez, 50, near Uvalde. He was transported to the Eagle Pass Soft Sided Facility for processing. Record checks revealed he was previously convicted of sexual abuse of the first degree in Portland, Oregon. He was sentenced to two years and three months in 2002.
Gonzalez-Gonzalez was removed from the U.S. in 2003, and most recently deported three months ago.
As convicted felons with prior removals, they face charges of Re-entry after Deportation, which carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Four days later, officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested Jose Luis Armendariz, a U.S. citizen from Indiana wanted for child fondling.
The 39-year-old was crossing into the U.S. from Mexico at the Hidalgo International Bridge.
"CBP is committed to bringing those wanted individuals in to face their day in court, especially those relating to sexual crimes against children," said Port Director Carlos Rodriguez, Port of Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas.
Law enforcement officials said Armendariz has an active arrest warrant from the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office. The warrant stems from allegations from an incident in June of 2022. He is charged with indecency with a child/sexual contact, a second-degree felony in Texas.
A Hidalgo County deputy arrived to take custody of Armendariz and transported him to the county jail.