Border Patrol Officers Charged with Drug Trafficking Scheme at Tecate and Otay Mesa Crossings

Two U.S. Border Patrol officers, Jesse Garcia and Diego Bonillo, have been charged with participating in a drug trafficking scheme at the Tecate and Otay Mesa border crossings in San Diego County, California. The officers allegedly helped a Mexican drug trafficking organization smuggle large quantities of drugs into the United States in exchange for substantial payments.

The investigation, conducted by the FBI’s Border Corruption Task Force, revealed that Garcia and Bonillo facilitated the entry of vehicles carrying drugs across the border. On August 22, 2023, Garcia admitted Amanda Mancera, who was driving a Toyota Camry, into the country through the primary vehicle lane at the Tecate crossing. Subsequently, border agents discovered nearly four kilograms of fentanyl and 216 kilograms of cocaine in Mancera’s vehicle at a U.S. checkpoint.

Federal prosecutors assert that Garcia and Bonillo had been involved in this illicit activity since 2021. The officers allegedly received tens of thousands of dollars per vehicle they allowed to cross the border. Both Garcia and Bonillo have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The indictment against the officers includes 11 counts, including importation of methamphetamines, fentanyl, and cocaine. If convicted, they could face more than a decade in prison. The cartel that allegedly paid the officers has not been named in legal documents, but prosecutors state that Garcia and Bonillo profited significantly from their involvement.

Evidence presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California suggests that Garcia lived a lifestyle beyond his means as a border patrol officer. He purchased luxury items, such as $2,000 handbags and clothing from high-end brands like Louis Vuitton and Burberry. Additionally, Garcia owned a $65,000 GMC Yukon, a home in San Diego, and was building a large ranch in Mexico. Despite reporting an income of approximately $5,000 per month, his expenditures raised suspicions.

Similarly, Bonillo, whose annual salary as a border agent was around $65,000, spent over $13,000 on travel expenses between November and March. He was arrested in May while staying at the Aria Resort in Las Vegas and possessing $2,000 tickets to a Canelo Alvarez boxing match.

The case against Garcia and Bonillo bears resemblance to that of Leonard Darnell George, who was convicted in June for aiding two separate drug trafficking organizations at the border crossings. George charged approximately $17,000 per vehicle for his assistance.

Prosecutors allege that Garcia and Bonillo followed a similar modus operandi. Garcia began allowing drugs to pass through his lane in 2021. For instance, on April 18, 2021, Vanessa Valdovinos attempted to enter the U.S. through the Tecate crossing. Despite an empty lane being available, Valdovinos chose Garcia’s lane. Officers discovered dozens of kilograms of cocaine and methamphetamine in her vehicle. Of the seven times Valdovinos crossed the border at Tecate before her arrest, four were through Garcia’s lane.

In February 2024, Garcia admitted Nayeli Viridriana Servin Vega through the Tecate crossing, even though she had been flagged as “high risk.” Prosecutors argue that Garcia received the alert 55 seconds before allowing her entry, contradicting his claim of receiving it late. Servin Vega was later arrested in Chula Vista with kilos of methamphetamine in her car. Records indicate that she deliberately chose Garcia’s lane at Tecate and Bonillo’s lane at the Otay Mesa crossing during her numerous border crossings.

Garcia and Bonillo have been held without bail since their May arrests, as they are considered a danger to the community and a flight risk. They are scheduled to appear in court on October 25.