A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer accused of smuggling migrants at the El Paso, Texas, border was allegedly a member of a Mexican drug cartel, a federal agent testified Thursday, El Paso Times reported.
Manuel Perez Jr., 32, was arrested Feb. 8 on federal human and drug smuggling charges following an investigation by the FBI El Paso West Texas Border Corruption Task Force.
A federal magistrate judge ordered Perez to remain jailed without bond at a hearing in Downtown El Paso.
Prosecutors allege he was affiliated with La Linea, a cartel linked to the Juárez drug trade.
Perez, who has since been fired from the CBP, allegedly allowed undocumented migrants to pass through his inspection lane at the Paso Del Norte international bridge in exchange for payments of $2,500 per person, according to testimony from a special agent with the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility.
Prosecutors estimated that Perez may have made as much as $400,000 in the scheme, which dates back to December 2023.
The agent testified that smugglers allegedly claimed in intercepted phone calls that crossings through Perez's lane were "100% guaranteed" because they had "the officer in their pocket." The full extent of the smuggling operation remains unclear.
Perez's attorney, Ruben Ortiz, challenged the credibility of the witnesses, arguing they were likely cooperating to gain favor in their own cases.
"The cooperating witnesses are telling them whatever they want to hear for now," Ortiz said.
Testimony revealed that multiple witnesses identified Perez as a member of La Linea. According to federal investigators, he spent over 80% of his time in Mexico when not on duty in El Paso. A search of his Juárez home uncovered $18,000 in cash, and witnesses claimed he was frequently armed, even while sleeping.
Prosecutors argued Perez was deeply involved in organized crime, with one witness saying he preferred to be arrested in Mexico so he could continue criminal activities from prison.
Perez, a U.S. citizen born in California, has no criminal history. His attorney argued that his frequent presence in Juárez was due to a past relationship, not criminal activity.
Investigators allege that he manipulated CBP's screening system by entering information from legal border crossers in place of smuggled migrants. One migrant allegedly paid $16,000 to be brought across the border.
Beyond human smuggling, Perez allegedly worked with a co-conspirator to transport cocaine. Prosecutors say he helped move at least 8 kilograms of cocaine from El Paso to Louisiana and North Carolina. License plate readers and hotel records reportedly confirmed the alleged smuggling route.
Perez allegedly admitted to receiving a $20,000 payment for the drug transport.
During the hearing, Ortiz sought to have Perez released on bond, arguing he was not a danger to the public and could remain under house arrest with a GPS monitor. U.S. Magistrate Judge Miguel Torres denied the request.
"There is no question that Perez poses a flight risk," Torres ruled.
If convicted, Perez faces a sentence ranging from 10 years to life in prison.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.