Cross-border collaboration landing U.S. suspects in Mexican courts

California leads nation in pursuing Mexico prosecutions.

The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- Criminals have long fled across borders to escape prosecution, but growing cross-border collaboration between California and Mexico is landing more of these fugitives in court in their native country.

In the past, criminal suspects like Alvaro Gudino, charged in the shooting deaths of two men in Santa Rosa, Calif., would have fallen through the cracks. Instead, the increased international cooperation has landed him in a Mexican jail, where he waits to be tried for the 1995 murders.

Since 1980, California has led the nation in pursuing cases that rely on a little-known Mexican law which allows the American justice system to seek prosecution in Mexico of citizens suspected of committing crimes in the United States. State and local authorities have sought convictions in 277 cases with help from prosecutors in Mexico.