CBP Officers at Laredo Port of Entry Take Custody of Two Men Wanted on State Murder, Aggravated Kidnapping Charges

Laredo, TX - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Laredo Port of Entry on Thursday took custody of two U.S. citizen men wanted on multiple state warrants including murder and aggravated kidnapping.

The first apprehension occurred on July 21, 2011 at Gateway to the Americas Bridge. Mexican authorities at mid-bridge turned over a man in a wheelchair identified as Wenceslao Tovar, Jr., 26, a U.S. citizen currently residing in Nuevo Laredo to CBP officers. In the secondary inspection area CBP officers confirmed Tovar Jr.’s identity, citizenship, Zeta gang member status and confirmed that he had multiple outstanding state and federal warrants, including: murder, felony 1, aggravated kidnapping, felony 1, engaging in organized criminal activities, felony 1, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a quantity in excess of 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and cocaine, kidnapping and two counts of carrying or using a firearm during and in relation to a drug crime. After confirming the outstanding warrants were valid, CBP officers turned Tovar Jr. over to the custody of deputy U.S. Marshals.

The second apprehension occurred about an hour later at the same bridge. Mexican authorities at mid-bridge turned over a man identified as Jesus Servando Lopez, 32, a U.S. citizen from Brownsville, Texas to CBP officers. In the secondary inspection area CBP officers confirmed Lopez’s identity, citizenship and confirmed that he had outstanding state warrants from Cameron County, Texas, for murder and aggravated kidnapping. After confirming the outstanding warrants were valid, CBP officers turned Lopez over to the custody of deputy U.S. Marshals.

“We would like to thank the multiple law enforcement entities involved, including the U.S. Marshals Service, Mexican authorities and Laredo Police Department that helped make this these fugitive handovers a success,” said Joe Uribe, acting CBP Port Director, Laredo. “Working together with our law enforcement partners in apprehending and processing two men wanted on multiple warrants for violent offenses we help to keep our borders safe and secure.”

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.