TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a previously deported illegal alien with a felony criminal record after he re-entered the United States near Sells today.

Just past midnight, Tucson Sector agents encountered Edin Francisco Gamez-Barrios while patrolling the desert south of Sells.

During processing, agents discovered the 38-year-old Guatemalan national had been charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance by Montgomery County, Maryland, in 2015. He was sentenced to 30 months in jail and 24 months of supervised release. Gamez-Barrios was removed from the United States on July 3, 2019.

Gamez-Barrios is being held in federal custody, pending federal immigration charges.

All persons apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using biometrics to ensure illegal aliens with criminal histories are positively identified.

For more details regarding this news release, contact the Tucson Sector Public Affairs Office at TCA-PAO@cbp.dhs.gov or by phone at 520-748-3210. Tucson Sector is also LiveU capable. Contact us to schedule an interview.