CBP Officer Arrested in El Paso, Charged with Alien Smuggling and Drug Trafficking

U.S. Attorney ^ | 2/10/25 | United States Attorney

[hardspunned]

EL PASO, Texas – A Customs and Border Protection officer was arrested in El Paso on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle undocumented noncitizens for financial gain and alleged drug trafficking activity.

According to court documents, between on or about Dec. 21, 2023 and Feb. 5, 2025, Manuel Perez Jr., 32, of El Paso, allegedly smuggled and attempted to smuggle undocumented noncitizens into the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. The indictment alleges that, in multiple instances, Perez Jr. admitted a vehicle driven by an undocumented noncitizen at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso as part of human smuggling operations. Additionally, Perez Jr. allegedly conspired to possess a substance containing at least 5kg of cocaine from on or about Nov. 1, 2019 through and including Feb. 5, 2025, to distribute throughout Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina and elsewhere.

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, he 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. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

[hardspunned]

I’d never really given that type corruption much thought. We have never seen anything like the Biden Border World. Prepare to be appalled as the layers of corruption are peeled away.

[Resolute Conservative]

Cartel tentacles are long.

[hardspunned]

Wanna bet we’ll both be very, very, very surprised how long they are and what we find at the end of them on the U.S. side of the border?

[oldplayer]

This 32-year old is a pawn in the game. He’s not as frightened of the DOJ as he is of his “handlers” in the cartel. I imagine his family is at risk, too.

[cgbg]

We already suspect key Democrat pols in AZ are tied to the cartel.

Hopefully DOJ can make that case in court.

[hardspunned]

Kari Lake, Arizona election interference and cartel elimination czar.

[Cowgirl of Justice]

He might not have had a choice.

[Gay State Conservative]

Not difficult to believe. The cartels might have offered him "silver or lead" as they so often do.They might have told him "we know were your grandmother lives".

Or he might have just been your garden variety crook.

[libertylover]

in a conspiracy to smuggle undocumented noncitizens for financial gain and alleged drug trafficking activity.

Sigh, even a U.S. Attorney using the term "undocumented".

[oldplayer]

“He might not have had a choice.”
_________________________________

Exactly, Cowgirl.

[hal ogen]

Did not have a chance? BS. Hold accountable for his crimes.

[oldplayer]

Cowgirl said he may not have had a “choice,” not a
“chance.” That’s no excuse, but we need to be aware that not only ARE we infiltrated, but HOW we are infiltrated. Some guys are more vulnerable than others.