By Steve Neavling
A former CBP officer from Nogales has been sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to bribery.
Jose Rosalio Fuentes, 58, was a CBP officer assigned to canine duty at the Nogales Port of entry in early 2018 when he allowed an undocumented immigrant into the U.S. in exchange for a $6,000 cash bribe.
Fuentes, who knew the migrant was a convicted felon, allowed the man to enter the U.S. through the Nogales Port of Entry during his shift. A surveillance camera captured Fuentes pretending to swipe the migrant’s ID card at the port of entry before allowing him to pass through the pedestrian gate.
Fuentes also was sentenced last week to three years of probation and a $6,000 fine.
The investigation was led by Southern Arizona Corruption Task Force, which includes members from the FBI, the Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General, Immigration and Custom Enforcement-Office of Professional Responsibility, CBP-Office of Professional Responsibility, Tucson Police Department, and the DEA.
The Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
