McALLEN, Texas – A brazen fraud scheme has come to an end for a 55-year-old Mission resident who impersonated a U.S. Border Patrol agent to solicit bribe payments from individuals seeking legal status in the United States.
U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced that Eugene Agustin Munoz-Canellas pleaded guilty on November 16, 2016, to impersonating an officer of the United States.
In a shocking display of deceit, Munoz-Canellas falsely claimed to be a U.S. Border Patrol agent from July 2015 to September 23, 2016. Using this fake position, he illegally solicited bribe payments from multiple individuals.
On May 24, 2024, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Munoz-Canellas to 18 months in federal prison. This sentence will serve as a warning to those who seek to exploit the system for personal gain.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted Munoz-Canellas’s extensive criminal history of theft and fraud, stating that the sentence must protect the community and promote respect for the law.
Munoz-Canellas is not a U.S. citizen and is expected to face deportation proceedings following his release from prison. He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Rees prosecuted the case, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Office of Professional Responsibility and Homeland Security Investigations conducting the investigation.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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