ICE El Paso removes Mexican fugitive wanted for 2003 aggravated homicide

A Mexican man, who is wanted for a 2003 aggravated homicide in his home country, was deported Friday by officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).

Carlos Perez-Garcia, 53, aka “El Bogar,” was turned over to Mexican authorities at the international boundary on El Paso’s Stanton Bridge Port of Entry.

According to Mexican court documents, Perez-Garcia shot Jesus Cordova Lopez, 41, at least seven times Oct. 11, 2003. Witnesses told police Cordova Lopez was walking home about 4:30 a.m. in an alley when a vehicle, driven by Perez-Garcia, tried to run him over. The two men exchanged words and Perez-Garcia left the scene only to return several minutes later to fatally shoot Cordova Lopez.

On May 9, 2012, Perez-Garcia applied for admission to the United States near El Paso. However, at the time of inspection, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered that Perez-Garcia had violated his non-immigrant status. He was turned over to ICE and was removed from the United States May 12, 2012.

On Aug. 12, 2014, Perez-Garcia entered the country illegally near El Paso; U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested him the same day. His case was presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution. On Aug. 21, 2014, Perez-Garcia was convicted of improper entry by an alien and committed to the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons for a term of time served.

ICE officers deported Perez-Garcia for the second time Aug. 22, 2014.

On Jan. 20, 2016, Perez-Garcia again illegally entered the United States near Antelope Wells, New Mexico. U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested him Jan. 24.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office accepted Perez-Garcia’s case for prosecution for re-entry after deportation. He pleaded guilty Feb. 2 and was sentenced to 33 days in prison or time served.

On Feb. 23, the Mexican attorney general’s office in El Paso advised the El Paso ICE office of the aggravated homicide arrest warrant issued in Guerrero, Mexico, for Perez-Garcia. The Attorney General of Mexico requested ICE’s assistance in turning over Perez-Garcia to Mexican law enforcement officials at the time of his removal.

“We will not allow the United States to be used as a safe haven for criminal aliens fleeing justice from their crimes in their home countries,” said Corey A. Price, field office director of ERO El Paso. “ICE will continue to work with our foreign law enforcement partners to locate these individuals and return them.”

Since Oct. 1, 2009, ERO has removed more than 720 foreign fugitives from the United States who were being sought in their native countries for serious crimes, including kidnapping, rape and murder. ERO works with the ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Office of International Affairs, foreign consular offices in the United States, and Interpol to identify foreign fugitives illegally present in the country.