Laredo CBP Officers Apprehend Two Fugitives Sought for Sexual Offenses

LAREDO, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), officers at the Laredo Port of Entry, detained two male subjects wanted for sexual offenses in two separate, unrelated incidents.

"Sexual violence can have serious psychological, emotional and physical effects on a survivor. CBP collaborates with other law enforcement agencies to bring those allegedly committing these offenses to justice," said Acting Port Director Alberto Flores, Laredo Port of Entry.

The first fugitive apprehension occurred on Friday, Jan. 21, at the Gateway to the Americas Bridge. A CBP officer processing pedestrians arriving from Mexico, referred Joseph Pitman, a 33-year-old United States citizen, for a secondary inspection. After escorting the passenger to secondary, subsequent biometric verification through law enforcement databases confirmed that the subject had an outstanding felony warrant for rape with a weapon, out of the Spokane County Sheriff's Office out of Spokane, Washington. The warrant was confirmed to be active. The subject was turned over to the Webb County Sheriff's Office to await criminal proceedings.

The second fugitive apprehension occurred on Sunday, Jan. 16, at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge. A CBP officer processing commercial bus traffic arriving from Mexico, referred Gustavo Chavez, a 69-year-old male United States citizen, for a secondary inspection. After escorting the passenger to secondary, subsequent biometric verification through law enforcement databases confirmed that the subject had an outstanding felony warrant for continuous sexual abuse of a young child, out of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, in Beaumont, Texas. The warrant was confirmed to be active. The subject was turned over to the Webb County Sheriff's Office to await criminal proceedings.

The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is a centralized automated database designed to share information among law enforcement agencies including outstanding warrants for a wide range of offenses. Based on information from NCIC, CBP officers have made previous arrests of individuals wanted for homicide, escape, money laundering, robbery, narcotics distribution, sexual child abuse, fraud, larceny, and military desertion. Criminal charges are merely allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Follow the Director of CBP's Laredo Field Office on Twitter at @DFOLaredo and on Instagram at @dfolaredo and also U.S. Customs and Border Protection at @CBPSouthTexas for breaking news, current events, human interest stories and photos.