Wednesday

Ambrosio Del Jesus Perez


Man arrested believed to be Army deserter

By SERGIO CHAPA
The Brownsville Herald


Dec. 6, 2004 — Brownsville police and U.S. Army officials are working to establish the identity of a 21-year-old man who allegedly used fake IDs to hide the fact he deserted the Army earlier this year.

According to a Brownsville police report, the man was found at a home where police were looking for a runaway on the 2400 block of Hamburg Street late Sunday afternoon.

Based on information received from people at the house and a woman who claimed to be his ex-wife, police believe the man’s real identity is Ambrosio Del Jesus Perez.

Army records said Perez is wanted for desertion.

Army officials could not confirm the man’s identity or Perez’s service record Monday afternoon.

In a telephone interview from Fort Knox, Army spokeswoman Connie Shaffery said if the man is Perez, he could face either incarceration or being returned to duty in his unit.

“The Army does not go out seeking deserters,” she said. “They are found through other criminal checks.”

The police report said the man identified himself as Eliacid Perez through a Texas identification card and a social security card.

The report said a large tattoo on his back matched the description of one belonging to the Army deserter.

The man was arrested and charged with tampering with government documents and failure to identify.

He was booked as Juan Lopez based on a previous arrest in May in Brownsville for public intoxication.

Brownsville Police Lt. James Paschall said Army officials are expected to confirm the man’s identity.

Until then, county jail records said he remains in county custody without bond pending determination of his immigration status and U.S. Army charges.

schapa@brownsvilleherald.com © Brownsville Herald

No comments: