A convicted sex offender previously deported was caught Wednesday night trying to illegally enter the United States, federal officials said.
Wilver Alejandro Cruz-Avalos, 31, was caught trying to enter the country around Calexico, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
After he was detained, a record check showed that Cruz-Avalos was convicted in Santa Ana in 2011 for having sex with a minor under the age of 18, the agency said.
He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and three years felony probation, according to CBP.
"Our agents encounter numerous individuals each and every day, but there is a certain satisfaction when we are able to arrest criminals such as these, which helps keep our community and our country safe," El Centro sector Assistant Chief Patrol Agent David S. Kim said.
Cruz-Avalos will remain in custody until he is prosecuted.
This was the 23rd sex offender apprehended by the El Centro Sector so far in the fiscal year 2018, which ends in September.
