HIDALGO, TEXAS—U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Field Operations (OFO) officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge arrested a male and female who were wanted from the McAllen Police Department in connection with an alleged armed robbery.

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, February 20, 2013, CBP-OFO officers at the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge encountered Nieves Marie Mireles, age 24, a U.S. citizen from Donna, Texas driving a blue 2008 GMC Sierra pickup truck. Officers immediately secured her and the vehicle as preliminary queries indicated that the vehicle was stolen. Further queries in secondary confirmed that the vehicle had been stolen the night before and that Ms. Mireles is alleged to have been involved in the incident where it was taken at gunpoint from a McAllen woman at the Rio Grande Regional Hospital parking lot.

Approximately two hours later, a gray 2006 Dodge Charger driven by Gerardo Valente Fuentes, age 28, a U.S. citizen from Pharr, Texas arrived at the same border crossing and he too was immediately secured after a preliminary query by CBP officers at primary indicated that he was a possible wanted fugitive. In secondary, officers confirmed that Mr. Fuentes is alleged to have been involved in the armed carjacking incident along with Ms. Mireles.

CBP-OFO officers arrested both individuals and subsequently released them to the custody of McAllen P.D. officers who also took both vehicles.

“We were able to apprehend these two armed robbery suspects due to our ability to query everyone seeking entry into the United States,” said Efrain Solis Jr., Port Director, Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas. “They will now face the consequences of their alleged actions through the judicial system.”