U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers Farlis Almonte, Ricardo Rodriguez, and Kairy Stephania Quiñonez have been indicted for allegedly allowing vehicles with undocumented individuals to enter the United States without inspection at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The indictment accuses them of revealing their lane assignments and work hours to co-conspirators, facilitating the transportation of undocumented individuals across the border using code words.
The defendants are also charged with falsifying reports in the Transportation Enforcement Communications System (TECS) to conceal the presence of undocumented individuals in vehicles passing through their lanes. Additionally, Almonte and Rodriguez face charges for allegedly accepting bribes in exchange for permitting these entries.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francisco Nagel and Bianca Calderon-Peñaloza are prosecuting this case.
The charges include conspiracy to bring in aliens for financial gain under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371, and Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii), which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Bringing in aliens for financial gain, aiding and abetting under Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii) and Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2 carries a maximum penalty of fifteen years with a mandatory minimum of five years. Receipt of bribes by a public official under Title 18, U.S.C., Section 201(b)(2)(C) carries a maximum penalty of fifteen years.
The investigation involves multiple agencies including the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations, and United States Border Patrol.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.