A US Customs and Border Safety officer accused of smuggling migrants throughout the El Paso border was allegedly moonlighting as a member of a Mexican drug cartel, in line with a federal agent’s testimony.
CBP Officer Manuel Perez Jr., a 32-year-old US citizen initially from California, is allegedly a member of the La Linea, extra generally often known as the Juárez drug cartel, investigators stated throughout his arraignment listening to final Thursday.
“A number of witnesses stated he belonged to La Linea cartel in Mexico,” a particular agent with the CBP Workplace of Skilled Accountability testified on the listening to, as reported by the El Paso Instances.
Perez was fired on Feb. 8 after he was arrested by the FBI El Paso West Texas Border Corruption Activity Drive on federal and human drug smuggling fees.
Perez may resist 10 years to life in jail if convicted. He has no previous prison historical past or reported points with substances. A federal Justice of the Peace choose ordered him to stay in jail with out bond following the Feb. 13 detention listening to.
Perez allegedly informed investigators that he was paid $2,500 for every undocumented migrant he permitted to go by way of his inspection lane on the worldwide bridge on the El Paso border, the particular agent testified. He particularly permitted one grey Nissan Pathfinder to cross the border smuggling migrants together with youngsters a number of occasions, in line with the indictment.
It’s unclear how many individuals Perez helped smuggle throughout the border earlier than he was caught.
In whole, the prosecution surmised that Perez may’ve padded his pockets with as much as $400,000 within the scheme relationship again to December 2023.
He was additionally allegedly concerned in a cocaine distribution conspiracy from November 2019 up till the start of this month, in line with the indictment. In a single occasion, he’s accused of serving to transfer eight kilos of cocaine from El Paso to Louisiana and North Carolina in October 2023.
Different smugglers heard throughout intercepted telephone calls alluded to “100% assure” crossings because of “the officer of their pocket,” the agent testified.
Ruben Ortiz, Perez’s lawyer, famous that the smugglers heard over the telephone might be mendacity about Perez’s involvement.
“The cooperating witnesses are telling them (federal investigators) no matter they need to hear for now,” Ortiz stated, including that informers are “pointing fingers, maybe to realize favor from the federal government in their very own instances.”
However the agent testified that Perez was at all times armed, even when he was sleeping and stated witnesses claimed he arduous an armed safety element with him every time he was in Mexico — accusations supported by picture proof, he added.
One other witness informed investigators that Perez had stated he would like to be arrested in Mexico if it ever got here right down to it in order that he may proceed his prison exercise in jail, the particular agent reiterated.
CBP investigators analyzed a database of recorded border crossings to determine that Perez had spent greater than 80% of his time in Mexico when he wasn’t working the border, the particular agent stated. Ortiz claimed Perez was there so actually because his outdated girlfriend lived there.
In a sweep at Perez’s residence in Juárez, nonetheless, Mexican brokers reported discovering $18,000 money, the particular agent stated.
“By all measures, he lives in Mexico,” the agent stated of Perez.
It’s unclear the place the remainder of Perez’s supposed smuggling earnings could also be.
The choose decided that there was “no query” that Perez was a flight danger due to how a lot time he spent in Mexico coupled together with his alleged involvement within the cartel.
Supply hyperlink
