Fernando Castillo is a former United States Border Patrol agent from El Paso, Texas, who was sentenced in 2024 after pleading guilty to bribery of a public official.
Federal prosecutors said Castillo solicited a $5,000 bribe from a migrant in exchange for fraudulent immigration paperwork that would allow the person to remain in the United States.
Bribery Case
The United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas said Castillo pleaded guilty on 1 February 2024 to one count of bribery of a public official. On 9 May 2024, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
The prosecution said Castillo abused his position as a federal officer by offering to produce or alter immigration paperwork for money.
Reported Scheme
Court documents described in public reporting said the migrant was in Customs and Border Protection custody in El Paso. The person had previously been encountered by CBP and was trying to return to Mexico.
Reporting by KFOX and CBS said Castillo took the migrant out of a processing centre and later offered paperwork in exchange for $5,000. Prosecutors said he made false entries in the person's immigration file and produced fraudulent documents.
Investigation
The case began after the migrant reported the alleged bribe demand. Federal authorities used surveillance and other records in the investigation.
The U.S. Attorney's Office described the case as a breach of public trust by a federal officer. CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility was involved in investigating the misconduct.
References
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