Man With Decades-Old Homicide Warrant Nabbed at AZ Border

SAN LUIS, AZ - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers Friday, December 23, 2005 were conducting routine checks on a man attempting to enter the country at the San Luis, Arizona port of entry when they discovered something unusual, a 20-year-old homicide warrant. Emidio Ramirez Macias was found to have an outstanding warrant to a crime committed in Los Angeles in 1985. He was taken into custody at the San Luis port of entry at 3:30 a.m. and turned over to U.S. Marshals for return to California. Macias is the fifth murder suspect CBP has detained at Arizona ports since September 1. On November 1, 30-year-old Carmela Corella was caught when she tried to enter the U.S. at the Nogales port of entry. On October 26, 25-year-old Jesus Duarte turned himself in to CBP officers in Nogales. On September 24, 24-year-old David Dela Cruz was apprehended attempting to enter the country without documents through the Nogales port of entry. And a second person wanted in California on homicide charges was caught in Arizona on October 22. Uriel Diaz, a 20-year-old wanted in Pomona, California, was caught while attempting to enter with his family. Fingerprint checks tied all these suspects to past criminal behavior. During fiscal year 2005, CBP officers at Arizona ports of entry apprehended over 400 fugitives with nationwide warrants. These suspects are facing justice because of the alertness of the officers and the effectiveness of their tools. CBP is charged with preventing terrorists and their weapons from entering the country while facilitating legitimate trade and travel.