U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Texas – An officer with U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been taken into custody in El Paso on serious criminal charges alleging his participation in illegally smuggling undocumented individuals for profit, alongside involvement in drug trafficking efforts.
Manuel Perez Jr. is accused of conspiring to possess over 5 kilograms of cocaine from approximately November 1, 2019, continuing through February 5, 2025, with the intention to distribute it across Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina, and potentially beyond according to justice.gov
The charges against Perez Jr. include a single count of conspiracy to transport aliens into the United States for financial gain, three additional counts related to bringing aliens into the country for monetary profit, and one count of conspiring to possess a controlled substance with plans for distribution.
If found guilty, he could face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for the human smuggling conspiracy, as well as three to ten years for each of the three separate human smuggling charges. The drug trafficking charge could bring a sentence of ten years to life imprisonment.
Court documents reveal that between December 21, 2023, and February 5, 2025, the 32-year-old officer allegedly engaged in smuggling and attempted to smuggle undocumented individuals into the United States, seeking both commercial advantage and personal financial gain.
This case is the result of a collaborative investigation involving the FBI’s El Paso division, the Office of Professional Responsibility within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General. Together, they form the FBI El Paso West Texas Border Corruption Task Force, with support from the Office of Field Operations and U.S. Border Patrol in El Paso.
This is an arrest and no person has been found guilty or brought to trial yet.
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