Customs officer remains jailed

Court document: Judge denied bond due to flight risk
April 17, 2009 - 8:55 PM
By Emma Perez-Trevino, The Brownsville Herald

U.S. Magistrate Judge Felix Recio rejected bond for a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer tied to an operation that smuggled more than 320 pounds of cocaine into the country from Mexico.

Recio denied bond Wednesday for 34-year-old Jose Raul Montano Jr., of Weslaco, noting that the officer poses a threat to the community and is a flight risk.

Montano was arrested April 2 for his alleged role in a drug operation that - under his watch - also facilitated the smuggling of undocumented immigrants through the Gateway International Bridge from May 2007 to February 2008, according to federal court records and officials.

"According to the evidence presented by the government, the alleged importation of drugs and aliens is a large operation tied directly to the Gulf Cartel. This suggests that (Montano) has strong ties to individuals allied with him in the commission of these offenses who could provide (him) refuge and support should he abscond," Recio wrote in the April 15 detention order.

Recio also pointed to Montano's drug addiction, the record in the U.S. District Court in Brownsville shows.

An FBI special agent filed a criminal complaint against the customs officer April 1 that charges Montano with transporting undocumented immigrants, bribery and possession with intent to distribute more than five kilos of cocaine.

If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

A second suspect, 39-year-old Jaime Izaguirre-Leal also was arrested April 2 and he is charged with conspiring to and possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to import and importation of cocaine.

The FBI investigation was spurred on Feb. 19 last year when an informant said that two vehicles with undocumented immigrants and drugs would cross that day into the U.S. from Matamoros through Montano's lane.

At 9:35 p.m. that day the vehicles crossed through Montano's lane.

Brownsville police officers conducted traffic stops as the vehicles started to proceed northbound on the frontage road of U.S. Highway 77, court records also show.

Officers found 13 undocumented aliens and eight grams of cocaine in the vehicles. One of the drivers had $986 in his possession. The second driver carried $2,050. Both also had multiple cell phones.

The criminal complaint filed April 1 notes that it was later learned that the eight grams of cocaine were for Montano's personal use.

Norberto Lopez Rivera, the driver of one of the vehicles, alleged he paid Montano $500 or $600 each time he, the driver, smuggled undocumented immigrants through Montano's lane.

The driver of the second vehicle was identified as Izaguirre, also known as Francisco Vasquez-Gutierrez. Izaguirre, an undocumented immigrant with an Edinburg address, said that he and Lopez transported undocumented immigrants through Montano's lane on eight different occasions in 2007 and 2008.

Another informant alleged that together with Izaguirre and another suspect, they smuggled more than 320 kilos of cocaine into the U.S. between May 2007 and December 2007 and that Montano facilitated the illegal acts. Montano allegedly was paid $10,000 for each vehicle that carried cocaine and entered the U.S. through his lane.

Another informant alleged in January this year that 170 kilos of cocaine were driven through Montano's lane in December 2007.

The investigation into Montano continued through February this year when an informant met with Montano as part of an undercover operation and they discussed the smuggling of cocaine.

"Throughout the investigation, agents have identified multiple alien smuggling and cocaine smuggling vehicles which have an identifiable pattern of crossing through (Montana's) primary lane of inspection either in tandem or within close proximity of each other," the federal complaint states.

Federal court records show that last year Lopez was convicted of improper entry by an alien. Lopez was sentenced to two months in jail.

Izaguirre last year was convicted of illegal re-entry. He was sentenced to 147 days in jail.

With his re-arrest this month, Izaguirre also is being held without bond.

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