LOS ANGELES – Felix Cisneros Jr., a 44-year-old special agent with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was found guilty of providing assistance to a Mexican national with a criminal record to re-enter the United States. When sentenced in July, Cisneros can face up to 20 years in a federal prison.
Cisneros, a Murrieta man and an 11-year veteran ICE who is now on an indefinite suspension from the agency, was found guilty late in the afternoon of Monday, April 23, 2018, of four federal offenses related to the incident. The four-day jury trial in the U.S. District Court led to the convictions including; conspiracy to aid and assist the entry of an alien convicted of an aggravated felony into the United States, acting as agent of another person in a matter affecting the government, falsification of records in a federal investigation, and making false statements.
Department of Justice officials said that through court documents and evidence presented in court, Cisneros agreed to help Santiago Garcia-Gutierrez, re-enter the United States after a trip to Mexico City in September 2013. When leaving the United States Garcia was a permanent resident of the United States. Due to his prior criminal convictions and outstanding warrant for his arrest, he was not legally admitted into the U.S. when he attempted to return, with border patrol agents seizing his Passport and green card when he attempted to re-enter the United States two months earlier but he was “paroled in” which temporarily allowed him back into the United States pending the outcome of his criminal case.
“As part of the conspiracy, Cisneros persuaded CBP officers to return Garcia’s passport, ensured that Garcia would be allowed to re-enter the United States after the September 2013 trip, and urged CBP to extend Garcia’s parole that allowed him to remain in the United States pending resolution of his immigration status,” Department of Justice officials said. “Cisneros provided assistance to Garcia knowing about his prior convictions.” Cisneros sought information through a law enforcement database to obtain information regarding Garcia’s convictions and information relating to criminal activities which Garcia was suspected of. “The falsification of records and the false statements charges relate to Cisneros failing to disclose that he had a longstanding relationship with Garcia during a regular background investigation being conducted as part of his employment as an ICE agent,” added Department of Justice officials. Cisneros also was acquitted of two counts of obstruction of justice.
