How a Routine Border Check Exposed a Woman Wanted for Multiple Sex Offenses

A woman wanted for sexual assault involving a child has recently been detained along the Texas border, prompting U.S. Customs and Border Protection to reiterate its mission in protecting American citizens.

Laredo Port Director Albert Flores noted the exceptional efforts put forth by his border agents during this arrest.

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.

Child Sexual Assault Arrest Along Texas Border

On June 28 at the Laredo Port of Entry in Texas, border agents at the Gateway to the Americas Bridge sent 44-year-old Maria Carmean Chavez Barrajas, a U.S. citizen, to secondary inspection.

Following biometric verification that searched police databases across the country, Barrajas was finally identified and confirmed to be wanted out of Corsicana, Texas. Her outstanding felony warrant was issued by the Navarro County Sheriff's Office for sexual assault of a child and continuous sexual abuse of a child.

Barrajas was arrested and transported to Webb County Jail in order to await her trial.

Port Director Flores also praised the efforts of his team.

Apprehensions like these exemplify CBP's tireless border security work that helps keep our communities safe.

What Is The National Crime Information Center?

This arrest of a child predator was, in part, thanks to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), a centralized database that allows law enforcement to share crucial info on a wide array of offenses.

Based on the information shared across the NCIC, border officers have been able to make arrests of individuals charged with a multitude of crimes, like homicide, money laundering, robbery, sexual child abuse, and more.