Del Rio Border Patrol Agents Seize $500k Worth of Pot; Nab Two Convicted Sex Offenders

Del Rio, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Del Rio Sector seized more than 600 pounds of marijuana and arrested two convicted sex offenders Monday, in two separate incidents. 

Monday, Eagle Pass Station agents working on an area ranch stopped a 1994 Chevrolet pickup loaded with several large bundles in the bed of the vehicle. Agents arrested the United States citizen driver, identified as Ernesto Avila, who attempted to abscond but was apprehended after a brief foot pursuit. The vehicle contained more than 670 pounds of marijuana, worth $536,640. During processing, agents discovered that Avila had been convicted of second degree sexual assault of a child in 2002. The case was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

In a separate incident, agents arrested RUIZ-Umana, Feliciano, 71, a legal permanent resident from El Salvador, for entry without inspection. During processing, agents discovered that RUIZ-Umana had a prior conviction for lewd acts with a child under 14 years of age in 2000. RUIZ-Umana also has an outstanding warrant in California and will be processed for removal from the country.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 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.