On February 1, a former agent of the U.S. Border Patrol entered a guilty plea in federal court, acknowledging that he had smuggled narcotics and illegal immigrants into the nation in return for money.
According to a news statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Hector Hernandez, 55, claimed he broke down barriers and let individuals and drugs into the country from Mexico by using his official position.
In the announcement, U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath stated, “Agent Hernandez betrayed his badge and his country.” “He joined drug dealers and smugglers instead of offering protection from them.”
According to the statement, Mr. Hernandez provided traffickers a tour of the border, indicating the ideal places to cross as well as the locations of cameras and monitoring equipment.
Additionally, he acknowledged that he had at least five times opened border fencing for undocumented immigrants in exchange for $5,000 each time.
On May 9, 2023, Mr. Hernandez met with someone he thought to be a drug trafficker and struck a deal: Mr. Hernandez would pick up a bag of drugs stashed near the border and return it to the trafficker for $20,000. That is how the U.S. Attorney’s Office describes Mr. Hernandez’s arrest.