EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer appeared before a federal judge on Thursday and pleaded guilty to a series of federal charges, including bribery, human smuggling, and drug trafficking, in a case that authorities say exposed a far-reaching corruption scheme at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Manuel Perez Jr., 32, of El Paso, admitted his role in multiple conspiracies that, according to federal investigators, spanned several years and involved the smuggling of undocumented noncitizens and large quantities of cocaine across the southern border for profit.
Perez entered his guilty plea in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, where he acknowledged his involvement in schemes that Assistant U.S. Attorney John Johnston said compromised the integrity of U.S. border security.
According to court documents, Perez’s began as early as November 2019 and continued until February 5, 2025. During that time, he used his position as a CBP officer at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso to allow vehicles driven by undocumented noncitizens to enter the U.S., often as part of organized smuggling operations.
Prosecutors also allege that Perez conspired to traffic cocaine that he planned to distribute across multiple states, including Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina.
In total, Perez was charged with one count of conspiracy to bring aliens into the United States for financial gain, three counts of bringing aliens into the U.S. for financial gain, and one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Perez faces up to 45 years prison time.
If convicted on all counts, he could receive:
Up to 5 years for the conspiracy to smuggle noncitizens
3 to 10 years for each of the three additional smuggling charges
10 years to life for the drug trafficking charge
A federal judge will determine Perez’s sentence at a later date.
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