Meth-Smuggling, Bribe-Taking Former Border Patrol Agent Sentenced

SAN DIEGO, CA — A former U.S. Border Patrol agent who admitted that he took bribes to smuggle methamphetamine and people across the U.S.-Mexico border while on duty was sentenced to more than seven years in prison, authorities said Wednesday.

Hector Hernandez, 55, pleaded guilty in January, admitting that he agreed to use his official position to open border fences and allow unauthorized immigrants to enter the United States from Mexico, according to spokesperson Kelly Thornton of the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Hernandez also agreed to move methamphetamine and other controlled substances from the Southern District of California farther north to other locations within the United States.

Hernandez was sentenced Friday.

"In his plea agreement, Hernandez acknowledged he took Mexico-based smugglers on a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border, showing them the best locations to sneak unauthorized immigrants into the U.S.," Thornton said. "He also provided information about the location of monitoring devices and cameras -- information only known to him by virtue of his position as a Border Patrol agent. Hernandez admitted that he opened restricted border fences on several occasions to allow people to illegally enter the United States in exchange for cash payments of $5,000 per opening."

DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis said Hernandez "disgraced his badge when he chose to smuggle both drugs and people across the border. His sentence reflects the harm he caused his coworkers and his country. As law enforcement we are held to a higher standard, and we must be held accountable for our actions."

According to court records, Hernandez admitted that on May 9, 2023, he met with someone who, unbeknownst to him, was an undercover federal agent, and agreed to pick up a bag full of narcotics that would be hidden near the border fence in exchange for $20,000, Thornton said. Once the agreement was made, agents loaded the bag with 10 kilograms of fake methamphetamine, one pound of real methamphetamine, and a tracking device, before placing the bag in a storm drain near the border fence.

Later that evening, Hernandez drove his official vehicle to the storm drain while on duty and retrieved the bag. He drove the bag to his residence in Chula Vista and left the bag there for the remainder of his work shift, Thornton said.

On May 10, 2023, after his shift was over, Hernandez returned home, retrieved the bag, and drove to meet with the undercover agent. Upon arrest, agents confirmed that the bag still contained both the sham and real methamphetamine.

After Hernandez was arrested, agents searched his residence and found $131,717 in cash and 7.7 grams of cocaine, Thornton said. Hernandez admitted at least $110,000 of the cash represented proceeds he received in connection with his narcotics trafficking and bribery activities.

As part of his plea agreement, Hernandez forfeited his personal vehicle used to bring the drugs to the undercover agent, $110,000 of the seized cash and his interest in his residence where the drugs were maintained.

City News Service