BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a statement Friday morning providing more details over its ongoing operation in the Bakersfield area this week the agency calls “Operation Return to Sender.”
Throughout the week 17 News requested interviews with the agency over its operation in the Bakersfield area but was provided the following statement. U.S. CBP said it would not provide further statements.
Read the statement below:
Border Patrol Agents with the El Centro Sector Border Patrol conducted an operation in and around the Bakersfield area in Kern County. Our operation focused on interdicting those who have broken U.S. federal law, trafficking of dangerous substances, non-citizen criminals, and disrupting the transportation routes used by Transnational Criminal Organizations. The U.S. Border Patrol is no stranger to operations in places like Bakersfield, Stockton, Modesto, Fresno, and Sacramento, as the now closed Livermore Border Patrol Sector regularly conducted enforcement operations over this area up to the mid 2000s. “The El Centro Sector takes all border threats seriously,” said Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino. “Our area of responsibility stretches from the U.S./Mexico Border, north, as mission and threat dictate, all the way to the Oregon line.”
During this three day operation we had over 60 agents on the ground, using both marked and unmarked vehicles. The results of our operation, named “Return to Sender” are as follows:
78 arrests (all subjects unlawfully present in the U.S.) The nationality/citizenship of those arrested were from Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Ecuador, Mexico, and China.
One subject arrested was a convicted sex offender convicted of raping an 8 year old girl.
Another subject had an active warrant from the Visalia Sheriff’s Department for a sex offense against a child.
One subject had a warrant for being a felon in possession of a weapon out of Tulare County. He was turned over to the Kern County Sheriff’s Department for extradition to Tulare County. A detainer was placed on this subject so we can take him back into custody on pending federal charges.
Three separate Marijuana seizures: 33.01 lbs., 3.1 lbs., and 30.7 grams of personal use.
Four separate methamphetamine seizures totaling 7.1 grams.
Multiple DUI convictions among those arrested, including some that included hit and run and injury enhancements.
Other criminal histories of those arrested included: failure to appear, tampering with a vehicle, petty theft, felony drug possession, vandalism, burglary, inflicting injury on spouse, and child abuse convictions amongst others.
David Kim, Assistant Chief Patrol Agent, El Centro Sector
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