A man who attempted to commit homicide in San Diego and fled to Mexico was arrested while trying to return through the San Ysidro port of entry, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office reported.
Nicholas Octavio Torres tried to commit homicide in May of last year in San Diego and fled to Mexico after he failed. Eight months later, he was walking back through the San Ysidro port of entry when he was arrested.
The head of CBP field operations, Sidney Aki, reported that on Monday, Torres appeared before officers at the port of entry, and claimed to be a U.S. citizen with no documentation to prove it.
The suspect provided his name, and upon reviewing the data system, CBP discovered that there was an arrest alert for him.
Aki said officers proceeded to take his fingerprints to confirm his identity, and it turned out that he had provided his real name.
The 33-year-old man may have thought that without having any documents to prove his identity, the officers would let him pass without checking, but he was a fugitive with an outstanding criminal record.
The arrest warrant, which was issued by the California Highway Patrol, was at $5 million.
Torres is wanted for attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, discharging a firearm into an occupied dwelling, and false arrest.
He also had an outstanding account of $20,000 and an arrest warrant for vandalism. Torres has prior convictions for domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon, and false imprisonment.
CBP officers surrendered Torres to the Federal Marshall to take him to the county jail, where he is currently being held.
