Irma Perez Sentenced to 5 Years for Border Bribery

Irma Perez, 32, of Chula Vista, California, is headed to federal prison for five years after admitting she paid $4,000 to bribe a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer to help smuggle undocumented aliens through the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The former government contractor exploited her access to the border crossing, turning her position in the port’s lunchroom into a criminal enterprise for profit.

Perez pleaded guilty in August 2016 to bribery of a public official under 18 U.S.C. § 201(b)(1)(A) and (C), admitting she offered the cash payment in exchange for the officer’s cooperation to bypass inspections. The scheme unfolded on two separate dates—February 22 and May 16, 2016—when Perez orchestrated the smuggling of one Chinese national and three Brazilian nationals through the officer’s lane, using her children’s U.S. passports to conceal the aliens’ identities.

The plot collapsed when the targeted CBP officer immediately reported the bribery attempt to the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility. Rather than walk away, the officer worked undercover with law enforcement, leading to Perez’s arrest during a live smuggling operation on May 16, 2016. The investigation was spearheaded by the Border Corruption Task Force, a joint operation involving the FBI, CBP, and U.S. Border Patrol.

At her sentencing, U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino ordered Perez to pay a $15,400 special assessment and forfeit the $4,000 used in the bribery. She was taken into custody immediately following the hearing. The judge’s decision underscored the severity of compromising border security from within, calling the crime a direct assault on national integrity.

Acting U.S. Attorney Alana Robinson praised the CBP officer’s courage, stating, “This officer put our nation’s security first, and as a result a smuggler who boldly attempted to corrupt a public official will be locked up for years.” FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric S. Birnbaum added that the case sends a clear message: corruption at the border will be met with maximum federal force.

“Because this CBP officer came forward, Perez is being brought to justice,” said Pete Flores, CBP Director of Field Operations for San Diego. The FBI continues urging the public to report public corruption via its hotline at (877) NO-BRIBE. Perez’s case, Criminal Case No. 16CR1189-JLS, stands as a stark warning to those who seek to exploit public trust for profit.