EL FUERTE, Mexico, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- A U.S. official said a third suspect in the killing of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, in custody in Mexico, will not be brought the United States immediately.
The Mexican newspaper El Economista reported Ivan Soto-Barraza, a Mexican national, was captured Sept. 11 near the city of El Fuerte in an operation involving the FBI, Interpol, and Mexican federal and state police.
Soto-Barraza was one of five people involved in a 2010 shootout at the U.S.-Mexico border in which Terry was killed, a federal grand jury indictment said.
Prosecutors allege the gunmen entered the United States illegally to ambush marijuana smugglers and steal their product, but instead ran into Border Patrol agents.
The incident began a national controversy when whistle-blowers disclosed weapons found at the scene were part of a gunrunning operation -- known as Operation Fast and Furious, by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives -- intended to allow federal agents to track the travel of weapons to Mexico, The Arizona Republic said Tuesday.
David Gonzales, U.S. marshal for Arizona, said Mexican citizens wanted on criminal charges in the United States typically resist extradition proceedings.
"It could be a while before he (Soto-Barraza) is on U.S. soil," Gonzales said.
