CBP Officers Apprehend Fugitive Wanted for Child Sexual Assault

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

LAREDO, TEXAS (News Release) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, Laredo Port of Entry officers this weekend detained a woman wanted in North Texas for alleged sexual assault involving a child.

“Our frontline officers maintain strict vigilance when screening arriving travelers and that mission dedication this time resulted in the apprehension of a woman wanted in connection with a sex crime involving a child,” said Port Director Albert Flores, Laredo Port of Entry. “Apprehensions like these exemplify CBP’ s tireless border security work that helps keep our communities safe.”

The fugitive apprehension occurred on June 28 when CBP officers at the Gateway to the Americas Bridge referred Maria Carmean Chavez Barrajas, a 44-year-old female U.S. citizen, for secondary inspection. After escorting the passenger to secondary, subsequent biometric verification through law enforcement databases confirmed that she had an outstanding felony warrant for sexual assault of a child, continuous sexual abuse of a child issued by the Navarro County Sheriff’s Office in Corsicana, Texas. Chavez Barrajas was transported to Webb County Jail for adjudication of the warrant. 

The National Crime Information Center 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.