Naomi Meza was wanted on federal probation violation charges tied to smuggling and drug possession.
EAGLE PASS, TX — A 48-year-old woman wanted on federal probation violation charges was arrested at U.S. Port of Entry 2 after fleeing to Mexico and spending four years as a fugitive, Eagle Pass police said.
Naomi Meza was taken into custody with help from Eagle Pass Police Department officers assigned to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force. Police said the arrest followed her recent detention by Mexican authorities and her transfer back to U.S. custody at the Eagle Pass crossing. The case brings a four-year fugitive search into the federal court process, where Meza is expected to face further proceedings tied to the alleged probation violations.
Police said Meza had fled the United States into Mexico while wanted on federal probation violation charges connected to smuggling aliens and possession of a controlled substance. The department did not say when she first crossed into Mexico, where in Mexico she was found or what agency first located her there. After Mexican authorities detained her, she was turned over to U.S. Marshals task force officers at U.S. Port of Entry 2 in Eagle Pass, a border crossing that connects the city with Piedras Negras, Coahuila. Eagle Pass police said officers assigned to the fugitive task force helped take Meza into custody at the port of entry. The department identified her by name and age and said she had remained a fugitive for the past four years.
The arrest centered on an outstanding federal probation matter, not a new charge announced by local police. Authorities said the probation violation was tied to earlier federal cases involving smuggling aliens and possession of a controlled substance. Police did not release the original court dates, sentence, case number or the exact terms of probation that Meza is accused of violating. They also did not say whether she was traveling alone when she was returned to U.S. custody. The public details released so far leave several points unknown, including what prompted the recent detention in Mexico and whether federal agents had been tracking a specific location before the arrest. Police said Meza was taken to a federal holding facility after her arrest, where she would be processed while awaiting further court action.
The case highlights the role of border ports in fugitive arrests, especially when suspects wanted in the United States are found in Mexico and returned through an official crossing. U.S. Port of Entry 2 is one of Eagle Pass’ international crossings and is used for lawful movement between Texas and northern Mexico. In fugitive cases, local officers, federal deputies and foreign authorities may each play a part before a suspect reaches a courtroom. Eagle Pass police said their officers were assigned to the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, a partnership that helps locate and arrest people wanted on warrants. The department did not report any injuries or use of force during Meza’s arrest. No additional suspects were named in the announcement.
Meza’s next steps are expected to move through the federal system. After a fugitive is taken to a federal holding facility, authorities typically confirm identity, process the warrant and schedule further proceedings before a magistrate or the court handling the original case. Police said Meza was awaiting further court proceedings, but no hearing date was included in the initial announcement. The department also did not say whether she had an attorney. Because the case involves a probation violation, a judge could be asked to decide whether Meza violated release terms and what penalty, if any, should follow. The underlying allegations remain part of the federal record, and any final outcome will depend on court action.
The arrest was announced with photos credited to the Eagle Pass Police Department, showing Meza in custody after the cross-border transfer. Police said Mexican authorities recently apprehended her before she was handed over to U.S. Marshals task force officers. The brief announcement did not include a statement from Meza or her family. It also did not name the Mexican agency involved in the detention. Eagle Pass, a Maverick County city on the Rio Grande, has seen several recent border-related enforcement actions involving fugitives, drugs and warrants. In this case, the central development was the end of Meza’s time outside U.S. custody and the start of renewed federal processing.
Meza remained in federal custody pending further proceedings as of July 9. Authorities had not announced a court date, additional charges or more details about the Mexican detention.
Author note: Last updated July 9, 2026.