U.S. Border Patrol agents in Buffalo arrest one of Puerto Rico's most wanted

LANCASTER, N.Y. – U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested a Puerto Rican man impersonating a Colombian National who presented to agents a counterfeit lawful permanent resident card.

On June 5, U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Buffalo Station responded to a concerned citizen call of possible illegal aliens in a neighborhood. Agents located a vehicle where a passenger inside matched the description provided by the concerned citizen. A traffic stop was performed by agents, and a subsequent immigration inspection was conducted. The Lancaster Police Department assisted on the traffic stop for officer safety. The man identified himself with a false name and presented agents with a lawful permanent resident card that didn’t match the name provided.

Further investigation by agents revealed his identity as Raymundo Rondon-Canales, a 54-year-old male United States citizen from Puerto Rico. Border Patrol agents than discovered that Rondon-Canales was wanted in Puerto Rico and was listed on the most wanted list. Rondon-Canales, a convicted felon-sex offender had absconded from Puerto Rico, violating his court order from Guayama Court.

“This arrest underscores our unwavering commitment to border security and apprehending dangerous fugitives”, said Martin Coombs, Patrol Agent in Charge, Buffalo Station. “The individual in custody, a convicted sex offender on Puerto Rico’s most wanted listed, posed a significant threat to public safety.

Border Patrol agents processed Rondon-Canales and turned him over to the Erie County Sheriff’s Office where he is awaiting extradition to Puerto Rico.

The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Buffalo Sector is responsible for securing the border between ports of entry in New York and Pennsylvania encompassing 341 linear maritime border miles. The assistance of citizens is invaluable to their border security mission, and they welcome community members to help them keep our nation’s borders safe and report suspicious activity at 1-800-331-0353.

Follow us on X @CBPBuffalo @USBPChiefBUN

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We facilitate safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust.