Border agent accused of being cartel member who smuggled illegal aliens into the US

A United States Customs and Border Protection agent stands accused of being a Mexican drug cartel member who exploited his position to smuggle illegal aliens into the country.

CBP officer Manuel Perez Jr., 32, was terminated from the agency when he was arrested on federal human- and drug-smuggling charges on February 8, according to the El Paso Times.

'By all measures, he lives in Mexico.'

Perez, a U.S. citizen born in California, was stationed at the Paso del Norte International Bridge in El Paso, Texas.

If found guilty, he could face up to a decade in prison.

A special agent with the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility testified that Perez was a member of a drug cartel.

“Multiple witnesses said he belonged to La Linea cartel in Mexico,” the special agent stated.

The agent explained that intercepted phone calls from smugglers promised a “100% guaranteed” border crossing, claiming that they had “the officer in their pocket.”

Perez’s lawyer, Ruben Ortiz, claimed that the alleged co-conspirators could be lying about his client’s involvement. He accused them of “pointing fingers, perhaps to gain favor from the government in their own cases.”

“The cooperating witnesses are telling them (federal investigators) whatever they want to hear for now,” Ortiz stated.

The agent testified that Perez admitted to federal investigators that he received $2,500 for each illegal alien he allowed to pass through his inspection lane at the southern border. Investigators revealed that Perez permitted a gray Nissan Pathfinder carrying illegal aliens to cross the border multiple times. The exact number of illegal immigrants, including children, that Perez allegedly allowed into the U.S. remains unclear.

Federal investigators estimated that Perez could have been paid up to $400,000 since December 2023 for his involvement in the illegal smuggling operation. He is also accused of participating in a cocaine distribution scheme from November 2019 through February 5, 2025.

Perez has no prior history of criminal activity or substance abuse.

The investigation into Perez uncovered that the CBP officer allegedly spent approximately 80% of his time in Mexico despite claiming he resided in El Paso.

“By all measures, he lives in Mexico,” prosecutors argued.

The special agent testified that Perez was always armed and had an armed security detail with him while he was in Mexico.

Ortiz stated that his client spent significant time in Mexico because he had a girlfriend living there.

One witness claimed that Perez had expressed a preference to be detained in Mexico if arrested so that he could continue his illegal activities from inside the jail.

Mexican agents reportedly searched Perez’s rental property in Juárez and discovered $18,000 in cash.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Miguel Torres rejected Ortiz’s request to release Perez on bond with GPS monitoring. The judge determined there was "no question" Perez posed a flight risk, citing the extensive time he spent in Mexico. Consequently, Perez will remain in jail without bond.

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