RIVERSIDE — A previously deported Mexican national convicted of molesting a Riverside child was arrested after he illegally re-entered the country, federal officials said Tuesday.

Javier Reyes-Gomez, 28, was apprehended Sunday night as he made his way through southern Imperial County, according to the U.S. Border Patrol.

The agency said Reyes-Gomez was tracked crossing into the United States 24 miles west of the Calexico Port of Entry.

A records check revealed the suspect had prior felony convictions for lewd acts on a child, stemming from his abuse of an unidentified Riverside minor under 14 years old, according to the Border Patrol.

Reyes-Gomez served a 56-month sentence and was deported to Mexico, according to Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David Kim.

“It think this is a good example of how border security efforts and the actions of the U.S. Border Patrol impact communities not traditionally associated with the border,” Kim said. “This serious criminal will not get a chance to return to Riverside and potentially victimize anyone else.”

The Mexican national will now face federal charges of re-entry after removal as a convicted sex offender, officials said.