Pete R. Flores, Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection | U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Pete R. Flores, Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection | U.S. Customs and Border Protection
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Wellton Station agents announced the arrest of an individual south of Dateland, Arizona, on March 11. According to a social media post shared on March 14, the person, who has a criminal record that includes multiple heroin possession convictions, was taken into custody pending prosecution and removal from the United States.
According to a post from the Chief Patrol Agent for the Yuma Sector, Martin Yovani Espinoza-Medina's prior conviction was for possession of heroin with intent to distribute, which resulted in a 72-month prison sentence. The post also said that he faces new charges and will be removed from the United States after his criminal proceedings.
The Wellton Station was established on February 1, 1955, with two patrol inspectors to work in the Wellton and Tacna areas. Between April 1964 and August 1967, Yuma Sector agents provided coverage. Today, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's website dedicated to the Wellton Station, its agents are responsible for 65 miles of international border with Mexico and operate a remote forward operating base called "Camp Grip" in the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge.
Screenshot of Yuma Sector Chief's March 14 post on X
| X
The Yuma sector spans 181,670 square miles of desert between California and Arizona. It also includes 126 miles of the U.S. border stretching from the Imperial Sand Dunes to the Yuma-Pima County Line. Over the last two decades, this sector has doubled in size since its establishment in 2004. The sector encompasses three border stations: Blythe in California and two others in Arizona - Yuma and Wellton.
The U.S. Border Patrol is a federal law enforcement agency operating under the Department of Homeland Security tasked with safeguarding the nation's borders against illegal entry of people and contraband. Since its inception in 1924, it has been operating across 328 ports of entry while protecting approximately 7,000 miles of land borders and an extensive 95,000 miles of maritime borders.
Alerts Sign-up