Thread: US border inspector charged with bribery in Calif.

US border inspector charged with bribery in Calif.

Associated Press

Posted on September 25, 2010 at 1:30 AM

Updated yesterday at 10:48 AM

EL CENTRO, California (AP) — A U.S. border inspector has been charged with taking more than $50,000 to let drug-laden vehicles from Mexico through.

Oscar Osbaldo Ortiz Martinez, a Customs and Border Protection officer since 2008, allegedly took $30,000 on Monday and $22,000 in June to let vehicles through though they were suspected of carrying drugs.

He was arrested Thursday after allegedly accepting the money from an informant.

Ortiz, of El Centro, was charged with bribery, conspiracy and attempting to import cocaine and methamphetamine. If convicted of any of those charges, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Another man, Victor Manuel Silva, was also charged. He allegedly introduced the informant to Ortiz.

There's a bail hearing Tuesday.

http://www.fox11az.com/news/national/103775299.html

Oscar Osbaldo Ortiz Martinez, a Customs and Border Protection officer since 2008, allegedly took $30,000 on Monday and $22,000 in June to let vehicles through though they were suspected of carrying drugs.

I wonder if Oscar Osbaldo Ortiz Martinez is an anchor baby with significant family ties (and other ties) to mexico? Seems as if we are hearing about these stories atleast once a week now.

One can only imagine the corruption going on that has yet to be detected.

Originally Posted by NoBueno

Oscar Osbaldo Ortiz Martinez, a Customs and Border Protection officer since 2008, allegedly took $30,000 on Monday and $22,000 in June to let vehicles through though they were suspected of carrying drugs.

I wonder if Oscar Osbaldo Ortiz Martinez is an anchor baby with significant family ties (and other ties) to mexico? Seems as if we are hearing about these stories atleast once a week now.

One can only imagine the corruption going on that has yet to be detected.

I couldn't agree with you more NoBueno. After watching Border Wars, I was amazed at all the latino's working at our border checkpoints. I thought this was a conflict of interest if they were anchors. They always seem to keep allegiance to their family's home country's no matter what. I fear we will see this happening more and more.

OneNationUnderGod wrote:

I couldn't agree with you more NoBueno. After watching Border Wars, I was amazed at all the latino's working at our border checkpoints. I thought this was a conflict of interest if they were anchors. They always seem to keep allegiance to their family's home country's no matter what. I fear we will see this happening more and more.

I have to disagree with that broad statement on the Americans of Hispanic decent that are Border Patrol officers. I grew up in New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona and many of my friends were and are Hispanic or of Hispanic decent and they didn't then, and still don't, like the illegals either. They don't deserve to be, or appreciate being, painted with the same brush.

I thought the Border Wars series actually blew the "racist" claims of the OBL group out of the water. Those American agents that we saw in the Border Wars series were tough smart and serious.

The people that seem to be promoting the illegals are usually politically motivated (think Gutierrez from IL). There are bad apples in every barrel that will do anything for money.

Originally Posted by Newmexican

OneNationUnderGod wrote:

I couldn't agree with you more NoBueno. After watching Border Wars, I was amazed at all the latino's working at our border checkpoints. I thought this was a conflict of interest if they were anchors. They always seem to keep allegiance to their family's home country's no matter what. I fear we will see this happening more and more.

I have to disagree with that broad statement on the Americans of Hispanic decent that are Border Patrol officers. I grew up in New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona and many of my friends were and are Hispanic or of Hispanic decent and they didn't then, and still don't, like the illegals either. They don't deserve to be, or appreciate being, painted with the same brush.

I thought the Border Wars series actually blew the "racist" claims of the OBL group out of the water. Those American agents that we saw in the Border Wars series were tough smart and serious.

The people that seem to be promoting the illegals are usually politically motivated (think Gutierrez from IL). There are bad apples in every barrel that will do anything for money.

Yes...to be clear, I have no problems with Hispanic Americans serving as Border Patrol Guards. I do question however the wisdom in allowing someone to guard the very border in which his/her parents may have crossed illegally and are still residing in this country illegally.

It simply creates a situation in which one may be asked to choose between family loyalty and doing their job. It's not the type of situation that's best for this country or the individual put in that situation.

In order to be a Border Patrol Agent, one’s immediate family members (parents) should be American citizens / legal permanent residents and have entered this country legally...IMHO.