Former customs officer sentenced to 15 years for helping drug traffickers

A erstwhile Customs and Border Protection serviceman has been sentenced to 15 years successful situation aft helium pleaded blameworthy to moving with Mexican traffickers to bring drugs into the U.S. Diego Bonillo pleaded blameworthy successful July to aggregate charges, including conspir...

LOS ANGELES -- A erstwhile U.S. Customs and Border Protection serviceman was sentenced to 15 years successful situation aft helium pleaded blameworthy to moving with Mexican traffickers to bring drugs into the U.S., officials said Thursday.

Diego Bonillo, 30, pleaded blameworthy successful July to aggregate charges, including conspiracy to import controlled substances specified arsenic cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.

As portion of his plea deal, helium admitted to utilizing his presumption to let drug-filled cars into the U.S. from Mexico without inspection. He allowed astatine slightest 75 kilograms of fentanyl, 11.7 kilograms of methamphetamine, and much than 1 kilogram of heroin into the country, the U.S. Attorney's Office successful San Diego said successful a quality merchandise Thursday.

Prosecutors said successful sentencing documents that Bonillo was utilizing a concealed telephone to alert the cause trafficking radical which lanes helium would beryllium overseeing astatine the Tecate and Otay Mesa borderline crossings truthful helium could guarantee their introduction without inspection.

Agents determined that Bonillo was portion of the strategy nary aboriginal than October 2023 and continued until April 2024, allowing astatine slightest 15 vehicles to participate uninspected, prosecutors said.

Bonillo utilized his payments to question internationally, acquisition luxury gifts, effort to acquisition spot successful Mexico, and walk clip astatine the Hong Kong Gentlemen’s Club successful Tijuana, Mexico, prosecutors said.

He was sentenced Nov. 7 to 15 years successful national prison.

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