A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was sentenced in federal court Friday to nine years in prison for helping the Sinaloa Cartel smuggle mass quantities of illegal drugs through his inspection lane at the Tecate Port of Entry.
Jesse Clark Garcia, 38, admitted to taking at least $10,000 per vehicle to wave trucks loaded with cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the country without inspection. Federal prosecutors said the scheme began in at least 2021 and involved co-defendant Diego Bonillo, another former officer who received a 15-year prison sentence in November 2025.
To pull off the smuggling operations, Garcia and Bonillo used secret, emoji-coded text messages to send their shift and lane assignments directly to cartel contacts. Cartel drivers then timed their arrivals to pass through those specific lanes unchecked.
Prosecutors noted that Garcia exploited flexible duty-switching rules to place himself in unscheduled lanes, and at times claimed technical glitches were responsible when automated security alerts flagged vehicles for mandatory checks.
Over the course of the operation, Garcia facilitated the entry of at least 100 kilograms of fentanyl, 107 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 270 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. Federal investigators traced his illicit earnings to a series of high-end purchases well beyond his government salary, including a San Diego home, a luxury vehicle, co-ownership of a horse racing business, and construction work on a ranch in Mexico.
When law enforcement closed in, Garcia stopped showing up for work and ignored calls from supervisors. In late March 2024, he loaded up a vehicle and drove into Mexico. Mexican authorities arrested Garcia on May 2, 2024, under an American federal warrant and transferred him to U.S. custody later that evening.
Garcia pleaded guilty on July 8, 2025, to nine felony counts, including conspiracy to import controlled substances and multiple counts of drug importation.
“Officer Garcia betrayed his oath, his fellow officers, and his country. Officer Garcia’s conduct warranted this significant sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
Multiple agency leaders released statements regarding the multi-year investigation and sentencing.
“DHS employees who abuse their positions and betray the public’s trust will be held accountable for their actions,” said DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari. “The Office of Inspector General will continue to relentlessly root out corruption.”
FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily highlighted the effort to remove corrupt officers from duty. “Jesse Clark Garcia showed total disregard for the oath he took as a CBP Officer to protect our communities when he knowingly and repeatedly allowed cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into our country,” Remily said. “The corrupt few do not represent the whole of the federal law enforcement workforce. Today’s sentence demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to rooting out those unworthy individuals and paving the way for justice to be served.”
Sara Esparagoza, Special Agent in Charge of CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility in San Diego, reinforced that position, saying, “The Office of Professional Responsibility is unwavering in its commitment to upholding the highest standards within our ranks. Today’s events underscore our dedication to rooting out corruption and ensuring that those who betray the public trust are held accountable.”
The joint operation was investigated by the FBI Border Corruption Task Force, DHS Office of Inspector General, CBP Office of Professional Responsibility, U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna R. Prewitt, Sean Van Demark, and Bianca Calderon-Peñaloza prosecuted the case.
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