Wanted Sex Offender Caught at Douglas Port of Entry

DOUGLAS, AZ - U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers at the Douglas Port of Entry caught a man wanted in Maricopa County on charges of probation violation stemming from his conviction for Sexual Conduct with a Minor. At around 4:20 p.m. on April 12, 27-year-old Lawrence Bichama was being asked routine questions while entering the US from Mexico. During this questioning, the officer became suspicious of the evasive answers given and referred him for further inspection. In an attempt to avoid being inspected, Bichama gave CBP officers false information about his identity While officers attempted to escort him to a secure area to confirm his identity, he attempted to flee and, after a brief struggle, was placed in handcuffs. Once he was in custody, officers then verified Bichama's true identity using the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS). As a result, the officers discovered a warrant for his arrest out of Maricopa County for probation violation. Bichama was turned over to officers with the Douglas Police Department for transfer to Maricopa County. "This is an indication of the success of our increased enforcement at our borders," said Port Director William Molaski, "The officers realized something was wrong and took the steps necessary to verify his identity and as a result, removed a dangerous predator from our streets." Bichama is a level 2 sex offender. More information can be found on the State of Arizona Sexual Offender website az.gov/webapp/offender/offender.do?id=041226