– Former Border Patrol agent sentenced for migrant immigration fraud
– Border Patrol agent offers fake immigration documents for money.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : A former US Border Patrol agent stationed at a processing center in Texas has been handed a 1-and-a-half-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to a charge of bribery of a public official, as per court records. Fernando Castillo, aged 42, who served as a US Border Patrol agent in El Paso, solicited a bribe from a migrant from El Salvador and Mexico in exchange for immigration paperwork allowing the individual to stay in the US. The former agent reportedly offered to alter the migrant’s immigration file and provide a fraudulent document for a sum of $5,000.
United States Attorney Jaime Esparza expressed disappointment over Castillo’s actions, stating that a federal officer selling their office for personal gain damages public trust in government officials. Castillo’s crime has cast a shadow on the honest officers who faithfully serve the public. The ex-agent faced additional charges of “alien smuggling” and “wire fraud and deprivation of right to honest services”, but these charges were dropped.
Castillo’s legal troubles began in mid-January when he entered into a plea agreement and subsequently admitted to the bribery charge. His attorney, Randolph Ortega, declined to provide a copy of the plea agreement or comment on the matter. Castillo’s employment with Border Patrol came to an end last July, following the investigation into his misconduct.
The incident came to light when the migrant, scheduled for repatriation to Mexico, reported Castillo’s actions to border patrol agents. Surveillance video at the processing center showed a border patrol agent matching Castillo’s description escorting the migrant into the facility. Subsequent investigations revealed phone call records between Castillo and the migrant discussing the exchange of money for immigration papers.
Investigators also found discrepancies in the migrant’s immigration file, indicating that Castillo had tampered with the document to grant the migrant a legal reason to enter the US. Federal agents observed Castillo meeting the migrant at an El Paso port of entry, with the intent to escort them back into the US. However, the exchange of money did not take place as Castillo instructed the migrant to hold onto the funds until they reached the vehicle.
During questioning by federal authorities, Castillo denied taking the migrant’s $500 but admitted to altering their file, forging signatures, and carrying a falsified document to meet with the victim. The former agent’s sentence includes one year of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
The 2023 probable cause affidavit revealed that the unnamed migrant, of Mexican and Salvadoran descent, had no prior criminal record. The investigation into Castillo’s actions underscored the importance of upholding integrity within law enforcement agencies and ensuring accountability for those who abuse their positions for personal gain..
Former US Border Patrol agent sentenced to years offering migrant immigration papers for dollars
Former US Border Patrol agent sentenced years offering migrant immigration papers dollars.
