A Mexican fugitive wanted for rape was arrested in West Texas after a state trooper pulled him over for speeding.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, a DPS Trooper stopped a red Chevrolet pickup truck on the morning of April 24 in Mentone, a sparsely populated town in Loving County.
During the traffic stop, the trooper reportedly smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and conducted a probable-cause search. That search led to the discovery of marijuana and a firearm inside the truck.
Officials said the driver, 23-year-old Pedro Alberto Badillo Rivera, was determined to be an illegal alien from Mexico. Further checks revealed that Badillo Rivera was wanted by Mexican authorities on a rape charge.
He was arrested at the scene and booked into the Winkler County Detention Center.
The case has been turned over to Homeland Security Investigations and remains an active investigation.
Authorities said no additional details are being released at this time.
