El Centro, California - Monday, at approximately 9:45 PM, Officers from the EL Centro Police Department were dispatched to a motel on the 1400 block of Adams Avenue, regarding what was originally identified as a trespassing call at the location. When the officers arrived, the victim/reporting party who was detaining a man he found in his room. The man, 32-year-old Diego Daniel Mendez Avila, a resident of San Diego, broke into the room while the victim was away.

The victim explained to officers, that he left his room at about 5 pm to have dinner with family. Upon their return to the motel, they found Avila asleep in the bed. When Avila awoke, he tried to push his way past the victim and his parents but they were able to wrestle with him and detain him until the arrival of the officers. Avila had ransacked the entire motel room, ate food kept in the room, and was found sleeping in his bed. When Avila was detained by the victim and his parents, Avila was wearing women’s clothing identified as belonging to the victim’s mother. The clothing was taken from the room.

Avila was arrested and transported to the Imperial County Jail and booked for violation of Burglary and Possession of Stolen Property. During the day and prior to this call, the El Centro Police Department Patrol Division had three separate calls on Avila for similar activity.