Customs and Border Protection Officers at the Progreso Port of Entry Arrest Man Wanted as an Attempted Homicide Suspect

Progreso, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Progreso Port of Entry came in contact with a man wanted on outstanding warrants as a suspect in an attempted murder in Monterey County in California.

On May 16, 2011 CBP officers working the primary lane at the Progreso International Bridge encountered a man identified as Nestor Gomez Pineda, 19, a U.S. citizen and resident of Salinas, California. Checks of a CBP database by a primary CBP officer resulted in Gomez Pineda being escorted to secondary for verification of outstanding arrest warrants as a suspect in an attempted homicide in Monterey County, California. At secondary, CBP officers verified the outstanding warrants on Nestor Gomez Pineda. CBP officers arrested Gomez Pineda and subsequently turned him over to the custody of the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. Nestor Gomez Pineda remains incarcerated pending extradition to California.

“This wanted fugitive was stopped at the border by our vigilant CBP officers and will face pending attempted murder charges in California. This is an outstanding arrest as our officers continue to protect our nation’s borders," said Juan Contreras, CBP Acting Port Director, Progreso Port of Entry.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.