Yuma, Ariz. — CBP U.S. Border Patrol agents from Yuma Sector arrested a convicted sex offender Thursday night.

Yuma Station agents patrolling near County 15th Street and the Colorado River tracked footprints of an individual who had entered the U.S. illegally and found a man swimming across the Salinity Canal. After apprehending the suspect, agents ran a records check through the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) and learned he was previously convicted on multiple child molestation charges and was previously deported from the U.S. The suspect, a Mexican national, was processed for prosecution.

IAFIS is a valuable tool that assists Border Patrol agents in rapidly identifying individuals with criminal histories so that they may be brought to an appropriate law enforcement resolution. By preventing dangerous individuals from entering the U.S., the Border Patrol continues to make significant progress toward establishing a secure and safe border environment while improving the quality of life for Arizona residents.

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.