Emanuel Isac Celedon, a former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, pleaded guilty to smuggling migrants into the U.S. and accepting bribes for drug trafficking, authorities confirmed on Monday.
Celedon, stationed at the Lincoln Juarez Port of Entry in Texas, was found guilty of assisting smugglers by providing information about his work schedule and allowing them to pass through his lane without any inspection or documentation of passengers. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, from September to November 2023, he did this at least nine times.
Celedon was also accused of altering information in a CBP database to avoid further inspection for certain drivers. Investigators revealed that Celedon actively advertised his role in the smuggling operation to Mexican counterparts to attract more business.
In addition to human smuggling, Celedon accepted bribes for facilitating the trafficking of what he believed to be cocaine but was actually part of a sting operation to catch him. Prosecutors state that Celedon was paid $6,000 after allowing vehicles loaded with imitation cocaine to cross the port of entry. Celedon also had $1,980 on him at the time of his arrest, which he admitted was payment for human smuggling.
Facing a maximum sentence of 80 years on four counts of smuggling illegal aliens, bribery, and drug charges, his illegal activities serve as a stark reminder of the challenges faced in maintaining law enforcement integrity at the border.
