- A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was arrested in El Paso for allegedly smuggling migrants and drugs between December 2023 and February 2025. He is facing multiple charges, including human smuggling and drug trafficking, with a potential prison sentence of up to life.
- Prosecutors say Manuel Perez Jr. conspired to possess at least 11 pounds of cocaine, with intent to distribute through Texas, Louisiana and North Carolina.
- It’s unclear when Perez Jr. will make a court appearance.
The Department of Justice announced the arrest of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer accused of smuggling migrants and drugs across the border. Manuel Perez Jr., 32, was taken into custody in El Paso, Texas, after he allegedly smuggled non-citizens into the country for “commercial advantage and private financial gain” multiple times at a port of entry in El Paso between December 2023 and Feb. 5, 2025.
Prosecutors also say Perez Jr. conspired to possess at least 5 kilograms (11 pounds) of cocaine from Nov. 1, 2019, through February 2025, to distribute across Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina and elsewhere.
Point phone camera here
According to the DOJ, Perez Jr. is charged with “one count of conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain, three counts of bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain, and one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute.”
If convicted, Perez Jr. faces up to five years in federal prison for the human smuggling conspiracy charge. He also faces three to 10 years in prison for each of the three additional human smuggling charges and 10 years to life for the drug trafficking charge.
It’s unclear when Perez Jr. will make a court appearance.
THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCED THE ARREST OF A US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION OFFICER, ACCUSED OF SMUGGLING MIGRANTS AND DRUGS ACROSS THE BORDER.
32-YEAR-OLD MANUEL PEREZ, JR. WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN EL PASO, TEXAS FOR ALLEGGEDLY SMUGGLING NON-CITIZENS INTO THE COUNTRY FOR COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGE AND PRIVATE FINANCIAL GAIN MULTIPLE TIMES AT THE PORT OF ENTRY IN EL PASO, TEXAS BETWEEN DECEMBER 2023 AND FEBRUARY 5TH OF THIS YEAR.
PROSECUTORS ALSO SAY PEREZ JR. CONSPIRED TO POSSESS AT LEAST 5KG OF COCAINE FROM ABOUT NOVEMBER 1, 2019 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2025 TO DISTRIBUTE THROUGH TEXAS, LOUISIANA, NORTH CAROLINA AND ELSEWHERE.
ACCORDING TO THE DOJ, PEREZ JUNIOR IS CHARGED WITH “ONE COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO BRING ALIENS TO THE UNITED STATES FOR FINANCIAL GAIN, THREE COUNTS OF BRINGING ALIENS TO THE UNITED STATES FOR FINANCIAL GAIN, AND ONE COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO POSSESS A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE.”
IF CONVICTED, PEREZ JUNIOR FACES A UP TO FIVE YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR THE HUMAN SMUGGLING CONSPIRACY CHARGE, THREE TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR EACH OF THE THREE ADDITIONAL HUMAN SMUGGLING CHARGES, AND 10 YEARS TO LIFE FOR THE DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGE.
IT’S UNCLEAR WHEN PEREZ, JUNIOR WILL MAKE A COURT APPEARANCE.
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