Mexican pastor wanted for child sex abuse collared by border agents after escaping to California

A former pastor from Mexico, accused of committing sex crimes against a minor, was apprehended by US Border Patrol agents after he fled to Southern California.

Salvador Suazo-Garcia, who faced charges in Mexico for lewd acts with a child, was arrested by agents in Lemon Grove on March 6, as reported by the Department of Homeland Security.

Suazo-Garcia entered the United States legally in May 2021 under the Biden administration, but his visa was revoked following the allegations, stated the DHS.

Agents from the San Diego Sector of the US Border Patrol conducted an investigation and surveillance before arresting Suazo-Garcia.

Authorities utilized cross-border intelligence sharing to locate him, and he was captured while driving a truck with an electrical company logo, according to Mexican media reports. He was taken into custody without incident and later transferred to Mexico’s federal Attorney General’s Office.

No further details regarding his alleged crimes in Mexico were released.

In a separate incident, agents in Anaheim arrested Silvia Del Rosario Torres-Castro, a Mexican national wanted for homicide, on February 26.

Authorities tracked her movements and detained her without incident. She was later handed over to Mexican officials. The circumstances of the alleged murder in Mexico were not disclosed. Torres-Castro entered the US illegally in 2023 through the Imperial Beach area, according to DHS.

Officials stated that both fugitives had evaded capture in the US until targeted surveillance by Border Patrol agents led to their arrests. DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis commented on the arrests, highlighting that some migrants labeled as “non-criminal” in the US might still have serious charges abroad.

“Now, thanks to our law enforcement, these two criminal illegals are back in Mexico to face justice for their crimes,” Bis said.

“These dangerous criminal illegal aliens were allowed to roam American streets and make our communities less safe,” she added. Approximately 70% of illegal immigrants arrested by ICE nationwide have criminal convictions or pending charges in the US, according to DHS.

“This statistic doesn’t even account for those wanted for violent crimes in their home country or another country, human rights abusers, gang members, and terrorists,” Bis noted.

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