From an El Paso Times Article by Daniel Borunda
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The U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer allegedly involved in migrant smuggling on the El Paso border was allegedly a member of a Mexican drug cartel, a federal agent testified.
A federal magistrate judge ordered CBP Officer Manuel Perez Jr., 32, of El Paso, to remain jailed without bond at a detention hearing Thursday, Feb. 13, in federal court in Downtown El Paso. Perez is allegedly a member of the La Linea drug cartel.
Perez was fired from CBP after his arrest on federal human and drug smuggling charges on Feb. 8 by the FBI El Paso West Texas Border Corruption Task Force following a multi-agency investigation, court officials said. If convicted, he could face 10 years up to life in prison.
“Multiple witnesses said he belonged to La Linea cartel in Mexico,” a special agent with the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility testified at the hearing.
Perez allegedly told investigators that he was being paid $2,500 for each undocumented person he allowed to pass at his inspection lane at the Paso Del Norte international bridge in Downtown El Paso, the special agent testified.
The exact number of smuggled persons Perez waved through his border inspection point was unclear.
The prosecution said that Perez may have been paid as much as $400,000 in a border migrant smuggling scheme dating to December 2023. A cocaine distribution conspiracy case dates from Feb. 5 going back to November 2019, according to the indictment.
Smugglers in intercepted phone calls spoke of “100% guaranteed” crossings because they had “the officer in their pocket,” the agent testified. The names of others involved in smuggling have not been disclosed.
Perez's attorney Ruben Ortiz suggested at the hearing that the co-conspirators involved in the border smuggling could be lying about his client.
"The cooperating witnesses are telling them (federal investigators) whatever they want to hear for now," Ortiz said, adding that informers are "pointing fingers, perhaps to gain favor from the government in their own cases."
Perez allegedly told investigators that he was being paid $2,500 for each undocumented person he allowed to pass at his inspection lane at the Paso Del Norte international bridge in Downtown El Paso, the special agent testified.
The exact number of smuggled persons Perez waved through his border inspection point was unclear.
The prosecution said that Perez may have been paid as much as $400,000 in a border migrant smuggling scheme dating to December 2023. A cocaine distribution conspiracy case dates from Feb. 5 going back to November 2019, according to the indictment.
Smugglers in intercepted phone calls spoke of “100% guaranteed” crossings because they had “the officer in their pocket,” the agent testified. The names of others involved in smuggling have not been disclosed.
Perez's attorney Ruben Ortiz suggested at the hearing that the co-conspirators involved in the border smuggling could be lying about his client.
"The cooperating witnesses are telling them (federal investigators) whatever they want to hear for now," Ortiz said, adding that informers are "pointing fingers, perhaps to gain favor from the government in their own cases."
La Linea Affiliation
Perez is a U.S. citizen born in California, his attorney said. He has no past criminal history and no issues with drugs or alcohol. Perez has an apartment in El Paso and was also renting a home in Juárez.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John S. Johnston painted an image of a U.S. federal agent affiliated with La Linea, a regional crime organization more commonly known as the Juárez drug cartel.
The special agent with the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility testified that witnesses told investigators that Perez was always armed with a firearm in bars and nightclubs in Mexico and even when he was sleeping.
Witnesses claimed Perez had an armed security detail with him at all times in Mexico. The claim was corroborated by photos, the agent said.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John S. Johnston painted an image of a U.S. federal agent affiliated with La Linea, a regional crime organization more commonly known as the Juárez drug cartel.
The special agent with the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility testified that witnesses told investigators that Perez was always armed with a firearm in bars and nightclubs in Mexico and even when he was sleeping.
Witnesses claimed Perez had an armed security detail with him at all times in Mexico. The claim was corroborated by photos, the agent said.
A witness told investigators that Perez had stated that if he were ever to be arrested that he would prefer to be arrested in Mexico so that he could continue his criminal activity in jail, the special agent said.
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| Perez was arrested on duty on February 8, he was fired from the CBP the following day. |
Lived Mostly in Juarez
The special agent said that CBP investigators used a database of recorded border crossings to determine that Perez spent more than 80% of his time in Mexico while he was not at work in El Paso. Ortiz countered his client spent a lot of time in Juárez because he used to have a girlfriend there.
As part of the investigation, U.S. federal agents contacted Mexican agents, who found $18,000 in cash after serving a search warrant at Perez’s home in Juárez, the special agent testified.
"By all measures, he lives in Mexico," Johnston said of Perez, mentioning that the rest of the suspected corrupt officer's smuggling profits are unaccounted for.
The indictment stated that an undocumented migrant paid $16,000 to be brought across at the port of entry. The investigation allegedly found Perez allowed a gray Nissan Pathfinder to cross the border with undocumented migrants several times.
Perez allegedly entered information from 25 visas belonging to legal border-crossers in the place of the smuggled migrants into TECS (formerly known as the Treasury Enforcement Communications System) the computer system used by CBP at the U.S.-Mexico border to assist with screenings and admissions, the indictment stated. TECS keeps track of people entering and exiting the country and those involved or suspected to be involved in crimes.
The investigation found that the persons that Perez allegedly allowed to cross the border did not match the people in the documents, the agent said.
The Nissan Pathfinder would take the smuggled migrants including children to a meet-up spot outside a restaurant in the 7400 block of Gateway East Boulevard, location of the Ranchland Village retail strip. The migrants would then be transported to other cities in other vehicles, the agent said.
The indictment makes a brief mention of a "proof of life video” taken of an undocumented person by a member of the smuggling group to provide proof of a successful smuggle into the United States. The video was not mentioned at the hearing.
As part of the investigation, U.S. federal agents contacted Mexican agents, who found $18,000 in cash after serving a search warrant at Perez’s home in Juárez, the special agent testified.
"By all measures, he lives in Mexico," Johnston said of Perez, mentioning that the rest of the suspected corrupt officer's smuggling profits are unaccounted for.
Migrant Smuggling
The indictment stated Perez was allegedly involved in a migrant smuggling scheme at his post at the Paso Del Norte Bridge going back to early December 2023.The indictment stated that an undocumented migrant paid $16,000 to be brought across at the port of entry. The investigation allegedly found Perez allowed a gray Nissan Pathfinder to cross the border with undocumented migrants several times.
Perez allegedly entered information from 25 visas belonging to legal border-crossers in the place of the smuggled migrants into TECS (formerly known as the Treasury Enforcement Communications System) the computer system used by CBP at the U.S.-Mexico border to assist with screenings and admissions, the indictment stated. TECS keeps track of people entering and exiting the country and those involved or suspected to be involved in crimes.
The investigation found that the persons that Perez allegedly allowed to cross the border did not match the people in the documents, the agent said.
The Nissan Pathfinder would take the smuggled migrants including children to a meet-up spot outside a restaurant in the 7400 block of Gateway East Boulevard, location of the Ranchland Village retail strip. The migrants would then be transported to other cities in other vehicles, the agent said.
The indictment makes a brief mention of a "proof of life video” taken of an undocumented person by a member of the smuggling group to provide proof of a successful smuggle into the United States. The video was not mentioned at the hearing.
Cocaine Smuggling
The investigation found Perez and a co-conspirator in October 2023 arranged to take eight kilos of cocaine from El Paso to Louisiana and North Carolina, authorities said.The co-conspirator’s information was corroborated with records from license-plate readers "placed strategically across the United States" that showed the vehicle’s travel across Texas to Louisiana to Alabama and to North Carolina, the CBP special agent said. Hotel records were also found.
After his arrest, Perez allegedly told investigators that the smuggler had already paid him $20,000 for what Perez said were 7 kilos of cocaine and that the smuggler had a drug debt with him for the rest of the money, the agent said.
“I kind of see him as a glorified mule,” who allegedly waved undocumented persons through the border checkpoint, instead of a some type of “mastermind," Ortiz told the judge. A "mule" is a term normally used to refer to a person utilized to carry drugs across the border.
Ortiz argued to have Perez be released on bond saying that he doesn't pose a danger to the public. Perez could stay under house arrest with a GPS monitor with his mother in El Paso, his attorney suggested.
Ortiz added that the county jail was not a safe place for his client and that Perez waived his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent and voluntarily spoke to investigators when he was arrested. Ortiz mentioned Perez “has a lot of debt,” but didn’t go into detail.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Miguel Torres ordered Perez remain jailed explaining that there was “no question” that Perez posed a flight risk due to the amount of time he spent in Mexico in addition to his alleged association with a Mexican cartel.
CBP & DHS Statements
CBP declined a request for an interview, however, they provided the following statement:
"CBP stresses honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission, and the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. We defer to the office of the U.S. Attorney for anything further on this matter."
Secretary Kristi Noem addressed the indictment of a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer accused of human smuggling and drug trafficking.
“To traffic drugs and smuggle humans while wearing the badge is not only a disgusting betrayal of our patriotic Customs and Border Protection officers, but of our nation and the American people. Manuel Perez will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“To traffic drugs and smuggle humans while wearing the badge is not only a disgusting betrayal of our patriotic Customs and Border Protection officers, but of our nation and the American people. Manuel Perez will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
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Patently obvious that cartel members, like Menchas son in law and daughter, are waved through at border crossings and not wetbacking it across the Rio Grande river! Could have a terrorist charge laid, but will probably do 5 yrs after cooperating!
ReplyDeleteHis cooperation not needed, he left a cyber trail even a blind man could follow.
DeleteThrow the book at him for starters, and let's start a trend of hiring more güero border agents, who frankly, seem less corruptible.
@2:31 is that what your wife does ?
DeleteHires weritos to do your duties as man 😝
231, hahaha. You think corrupt agents are less "corruptable" because they're white?! They're just as easily corrupted, and actually more effective because of pendejos like yourself who place them on this ethical pedestal.
DeleteLmfao less corruptible 😂😂😂
Delete2:31 🤣🤣🤣let me guess, the better looking they are the less time they should ger for the same exact crime as an ugly guy 😂😂😂
DeleteYeah, there's no way that people with Mexican heritage wouldn't have as much loyalty for the US. Otherwise you would see see people in the US parading around the streets with Mexican flags.
DeleteI am sure the majority of BP are ethnically latin who are fluent in spanish and english. Many will have family, friends and connections in Mexico as well in the broad latin community in America, so I am sure they are sought by cartel associates to be made an offer that is very very tempting for some not to take the faustain bargain. So, what I'm saying is, of course, you will see the majority of corrupt agents be of latin ethnicity because they are the vast majority on the frontlines.
Delete@9:14 has a solid good point
DeleteTiene cara de puerco.
Delete02:31 is a cyber threat intelligence detective highly trained by Shin Bet special forces, the Mossad, and Sicari o006.
DeleteTrump will pardon him.
Delete@9:14 I worked in hospitality for many years. Everywhere I worked, the white employees were the biggest thieves.
DeleteTell me race shit doesnt exist look at comments here,black,brown or white we dont like each other whats the big deal ?
DeleteEbony and Ivory
DeleteLiving in Perfect Harmony..
422
DeleteY actúa como tal
It's tribalism at its finest. This is what we revert to without society. Look at any prison and you will find this type of racism.
Delete610, of course they are, whites feel the most entitled. It's embedded in there DNA. It predates "manifest destiny". Passed down from one generation to the next like any ideology.
Delete1:11 LMFAO! I remember that lame ass song by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney. Like they were the ambassadors for racial equality.
DeleteStevie Wonder and Paul McCartney, grasshopper
Delete1122
Delete1982, a long time ago
4:37 11:22 typing here. You're correct, I was wrong. I wrote the first comment while I was still laughing.
DeleteCon dinero bailan perros trompudos!!!
ReplyDeleteInnocent til proven guilty!
ReplyDeleteLet this slob out on bail, his lawyer promises that his mom will keep an eye on him so he doesn't get into further mischief!
The feds aren't playing fair by using his history of computer database searches against him, they should mind their own business, and not discriminate against this bad hombre just because his skin is brown.
Everything's moving too fast with this new Trump administration, please bring back joe Biden, Nuff Said!!!!!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteAfter he finishes doing his prison time, he should be stripped of his American citizenship and be permanently repatriated BACK to his native Mexico.
ReplyDeleteImagine if that could be done, how many Europoans and Africans would get deported?
DeleteArticle says he was hatched in CA. Citizenship cannot be taken away.
DeleteDid you miss the part where he was born in California?... for all we know he may be 2nd or 3rd generation.
DeleteThat's Koo foo
Delete9:26 Julia!
Delete@9:27
DeleteCitizenship could and has been taken away from people born in the US. It's usually for extreme cases like terrorism. In his case, since cartels have been deemed terrorist organizations, it could be construed he's a terrorist and his citizenship could be taken away.
@11:01
Deletedo you have evidence of this?
No Not True Yeti 😹🇲🇽🇺🇸
Delete11:01 Wrong, they can take you citizenship and deport you only if you were borned in another country and become a citizen of the USA, where are they gonna deport you to? Mexico in this case? The Mexican goverment wont take the guy cause he wasnt born in Mexico simple as that, imagine how many white people would of been deported back to Europe for their terrorist acts, like the school shootings, i swear some people just talk cause they have a fucking mouth and no fucking common sence
Delete5:04
DeleteYes. I have evidence. Wikipedia has a list of US born citizens who were stripped of their citizenship.
6:10
DeleteThank you, I stand corrected.
@6:10
Delete"there are certain behaviors that can result in a loss of nationality even if you were born in the United States. That’s because the Court ruled that actions inconsistent with remaining a citizen can be a form of voluntary relinquishment"
-Christy Bieber attorney
What about the white ones doing the smuggling? Gonna deport them back to Europe or what. Just a heads up, corruption knows no skin colors
DeleteUmmm… it clearly states he was born in CA, that’s a US citizen by birth. Like it or not, your comment is racist, regardless of whether or not this guys is a POS, that makes YOU a POS too for making racist comments.
DeleteChristy Bieber:
DeleteRead Trop v Dulles, 356 US 86 (1958).
Doesn't the federal government give these mutts periodic polygraph tests to keep them on their best behavior?
ReplyDeleteJust one glance at his mug shot and you can see this guy is corrupt!
TJ crossing is the worst.
DeleteYou want to see what corruption looks like? Take a glance at you're typical white politician. Corruption at its finest thanks to Trumps release of these top secret documents.
DeleteOraleee profiler.
Delete923a. You sure have this defensive posture to mount about whites and corruption. that’s the 2nd time in this comment section. I’m sure you have the Mexican flag flying on your pickup while living in USA. I’m sure everything is about race to you which makes you a racist. This guy sold out his country his freedom his job his teammates for some chump change. It wasn’t some corruption on the Pelosi, McConnell, Biden, Clinton, Cheney etc… scale it was chump change. So yeah HUGE difference! Get over that the huge % of corrupt border cops are Mexican. Yes there are Whites, but the huge % is Mexican. Fucking get over it. I’m sure there are a massive amount of factors involved for these corrupt pigs and being White or Brown is only one facet of it.
DeletePolygraph test don't detect lies (it's only inferred) and can be passed if you know how to.
DeleteTrump #1 most corrupt politician in USA.
Delete1147 triggered? Relax gringo, whites are just as corrupt as everyone else. Only difference is, when whites commit a crime they can hide behind some mental health bullshit and get a slap on the wrist, while everyone else gets the book thrown at them... and yes, you're assumptions are correct, I wave the Mexican flag while living in a U.S state with a Spanish name, in a city with a Spanish name and on a street with a Spanish name all while blasting Chalino for every one to know I'm pulling up to my 2 story 5 bedroom 2 bathroom house... and just to rub it in, I have some income property that WAS occupied by white trash rednecks who thought they could live rent free until I gave them the boot and decided to bring in some hard working Mexicans who give me no shit about paying the rent on time or a light bulb going out at 11 at night... BTW Let me know if you ever need your roof done, I'll charge you double just for being white and charge my own people half the price and knock it out on a Sunday to avoid paying for permits. 😉🤣🤣🤣🤣
Delete5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms?
DeleteCorruption is legal in usa. Is called lobbying.
Delete11 24
DeleteYou are a true racist piece of shit.
1249 cry me a river joto.🤣🤣🤣🤣
Delete@12:49
Delete1124 is probably an ok guy, he's just shooting his mouth off a little bit!
1124 you know that job is going to be done half ass AF and I’ll have to hire the local blacks to come in and fix it the right way
DeleteAll you people saying how Mexicans are corrupt look up Vicky's Town Chronicles on YouTube.
DeleteThere you will find these stats about Americans in America.
81 percent of school shooters are white men.
57.6 percent of rapists are white men.
75.1 percent people caught with child porn are white men.
95.9 percent of these criminals. US citizens.
6 17
DeleteNa.. his true colors are out. Dudes a racist bigot Mexican.
One of many
ReplyDeleteHow in the fuck does one of mexicos biggest criminals the ex narcogovernor of tamaulipas cabeza de caca is allowed to live and buy land in texas and show the shit off on social media?
ReplyDeleteProbably backed by the U.S. under U.S.A.I.D.
DeleteYou should have been left as a stain on a mattress somewhere.
DeleteQuite a husky officer. Physical and ethical standards were not a priority for Mr. Perez.
ReplyDeletethis CBP officer is gonna be in for a wake up call aka 30+ years in prison. Hope it was worth it.
ReplyDeleteCourts should prosecute him under the terrorist act!
ReplyDeleteSshh magat, you have no say here
DeleteIf I had to live in El Paso, I would spend most of my time on the other side in Mexico, too!
ReplyDeleteIm sure alot of those agents sre corrupt
ReplyDeleteFor every one they catch there's probably ten more out there smuggling. How many of them will resist making an easy 400k
ReplyDeleteThat's true it is a game of numbers and it works.
DeleteHowever there are consequences for our actions so all those who decide to take that route should know what will happen if, or more likely when, they get caught.
CSRL leader arrested a few days ago in queretaro “Gordo de Zempoala” brother of Coppel (Dead) who was one of marros main hitters was released today for lack of evidence https://x.com/cristba14277099/status/1891328726643740765?s=46
ReplyDeleteNi quien tome en cuenta Querétaro
DeleteCorruption has always been a top prior rule for cartels, especially border agents, it’s part of the game. Sadly, these criminals taint the good ones as bad ones. It might be chump change when compared to other criminals, but this chump change comes with a bit of power in this case… he was making La _______ millions per month, hence the security elements when visiting MX.
ReplyDeleteLol not even an immigrant a us citizen.Ⓜ️Ⓜ️
ReplyDeleteI heard about this a couple of days ago, and now that ive seen his pic. Im absolutely sure i seen him while crossing into el paso. Yeah I never forget that hamburger face lol
ReplyDelete903
Delete..a face only a mother could love!
Off Topic...Paquitqa del barrio dead.
ReplyDeleteCartel related.
Heres all the crying about race now''if he was white blah blah blah'' rats in every shape size and color
ReplyDeleteChill, no period kid.
Delete👌
DeleteFuck off sol.
DeleteDear Methico,
ReplyDeleteNo, I don’t have a lisp. Your country just creates alot of meth and that’s what I’m calling you.
Really poor quality meth at that!
Shit is the worst.
They say it’s pure , but it’s pure crap.
Hillbilly’s in the mountains of the USA made better meth.
American made anything has always been better than Mexican made.
For sure the best consumers are American Made … 100% 👍🏽
DeleteGo smoke American meth , have at it
DeleteWalter White approves this message. He went up against Mejicos best cook, El Hamburgler, and it wasn't even close.
DeleteSho Nuff!
"peanut butter crank" usta be a thing..
DeleteJesse we need to cook!
DeleteDamn y’all just lost your gulf!
ReplyDeleteIt’s gulf of America now!
Lol.!!
Gaw damn that was brutal!
Y’all just rolled over too, no fight, guess it was siesta time when your gulf was being renamed.
Gaw damn.
Y’all about to lose territory now too.
Y’all shoulda put a lid on that fentynal pouring into the states but you couldn’t cuz y’all some greedy fucks ain’t ya Mexico?
Don’t try to say it’s americas appetite either
Y’all flooded the states with that poison, don’t try to blame it on us. That’s a weak argument. You helped the MAGA movement come into power.
Think about it Mexico.
Y’all always shoot yourselves in the foot , have been ever since Spain devoured you and spit you out as Spanish speaking Catholics.
Truth.
DeleteOff-topic, but basically true 🥲🇮🇷🇭🇺🇵🇸
Delete3:26
DeleteCalm down Hillbilly Joe.
We work the fields picking up lettuce, strawberries, lemons, grapes, jobs the average American don't want, not even Nuffy, he prefers to collect EBT benefits, we have no papers, we don't qualify for those benefits.
Even Blacks won't take jobs working out in the Fields.
Hillbilly Joe, your Orange buddy promised he will bring food prices down, haven't seen that happen, heck eggs are expensive in the USA.
Pick all the lettuce and fresas that you want, Hoss, but if you fuck around with fentanilo, red white and blue colored drones will sniff out that poison and send a cruise missile up yo sad ass. NuffinSaid!!!
Delete9:44
Delete“Even blacks”
Idiot.
@9:44
DeleteYou are not an undocumented immigrant, but nice try.
You are a fool though.
Fuck yea!!
ReplyDeleteCBP is one of the worst government agencies. But I bet Trump doesn't wanna investigate and cut that huh. Of course many of those guys are on the take. and even the ones who aren't are still complete assholes. Getting hassled by them when I come across is laughable. They always question me as if there is nothing but criminal activity a guy could do in Mexico. They don't believe me if I say I ate lunch, hit the pharmacy, did a little shopping. Inconceivable to them.
ReplyDelete"I am a U.S. citizen with nothing to declare"..
DeleteYou don't HAVE to answer their stupid questions and tell those braindead fuckers the story of your life!
Yeah fuck them, better to stay tough and having a hard time and 2nd inspection each time you cross than having some nice small talk a free to go. Know your rights! Jajajaja what an idiot.
Delete1053
DeleteBetter to die on your feet than live on your knees
https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/1891585938163204454?t=rDoPgu81Q2oa-qWjONypqg&s=19
ReplyDeleteMexican senate green lights us special forces to enter mexico
Keep dreaming, no period nino.
DeleteYas I ajm the tank commander and half leg got blawn aff ok way naw betta
DeleteKeep dreaming sol.
DeleteSol is trans.
DeleteThe caterpillar transforms into the butterfly 🦋
DeleteNot going to lie, but it is known that there are border agents who have worked closely with smugglers and traffickers since old times. Like, I know for sure juarez and piedras negras has some bad apples. But you know thats their fault for letting any one in there lol
ReplyDeleteJalense la berga pa meterla.
ReplyDeleteawn-duh-lay seen-your
ReplyDeleteNo- mommies-way
Y’all talk like some Gaw-dam morons.
No munchies 🍪
DeleteThat's Koo foo
DeleteThis guys wife was flaunting their shit all over social media trips to dubai, vegas among others always decked out all in designer clothes. Now he is looking at life in prison. The U.S. doesnt fck around he end up doing so much time he’ll probably want to take his own life. Being a narco isnt worth it
ReplyDeleteThis dude was the Chicos taco
ReplyDelete