Former Federal Agent Found Guilty in L.A. of Role in Bribery Scheme
A previous particular agent with Homeland Stability Investigations convicted by a Los Angeles federal jury Tuesday of accepting money payments and other gains linked to arranged criminal offense, together with using official motion aimed at serving to two foreign nationals illegally enter the United States.
Felix Cisneros Jr., 48, of Murrieta, was convicted of a single count of conspiracy to dedicate bribery of a public formal, one count of bribery, 26 counts of revenue laundering and two counts of submitting a phony tax return, in accordance to the U.S. Attorney’s Business.
Cisneros was taken into federal custody just after the verdict was browse.
Prosecutors mentioned that about an 18-thirty day period period that commenced in September 2015, Cisneros acknowledged money, checks, personal jet travel, luxury lodge stays, meals and other products from a person connected to an unknown legal organization.
Cisneros acquired $100,000 in checks and items from the person in 2015 and 2016, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office environment.
Prosecutors mentioned he approved the hard cash and other bribes although operating as a particular agent with HSI, an company inside of the U.S. Office of Homeland Security. In trade for the bribes, Cisneros took actions like:
— accessing a DHS database to alter data about a German national
— obtaining an official DHS letter to let the parole of the structured criminal offense figure’s brother-in-law in the United States from Mexico, then providing updates about the brother-in-law’s asylum software and
— accumulating info on a criminal affiliate and giving that person with facts about a legislation enforcement investigation.
Cisneros also underreported his revenue on his federal income tax returns by at minimum $20,000 for the yr 2015 and at the very least $73,404 for the yr 2016, the Los Angeles federal jury observed.
Sentencing was scheduled for Aug. 1. The conspiracy cost carries a sentence of up to five a long time in federal prison, the bribery rely carries a sentence of up to 15 years, every cash laundering cost carries a greatest sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, and each and every tax rely carries a most sentence of up to a few yrs in federal jail.
