A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBP) and two others have been arrested for their alleged involvement with smuggling illegal immigrants across the U.S-Mexico border into San Diego in exchange for money and sex, according to an FBI report.
After a six count federal complaint was filed against the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the FBI held an investigation into the matter.
Miriam Elizabeth Juarez-Herrera, age 31, is an illegal immigrant removed from the U.S., who is accused of smuggling people into the U.S. from Mexico. The FBI report says she admitted to paying bribes to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Jose Luis Cota to sneak people into the U.S. Juarez-Herrera allegedly paid bribes to Cota in the form of cash and sexual favors.
Gilberto Aguilar-Martinez, age 31, who has twice been convicted of felonies and was forcibly removed as an illegal immigrant from the U.S., was also arrested for allegedly assisting the smuggling operation at the San Ysidro Port of Entry (SYSPRO), said FBI Special Agent Eric S. Birnbaum. The three suspects were arrested in San Diego late on Wednesday, Sept. 7.
The complaint filed states that Juarez-Herrera was allowed to enter into the U.S. with other unauthorized people on multiple occasions. FBI Agent Birnbaum said that financial records show large sums of cash were added to Cota’s bank accounts after each alleged smuggling took place.
A detention hearing for each defendent is scheduled for Sept. 14 at 9:30 a.m. before the U.S. Magistrate.
