A former agent of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been sentenced to several years in prison for his involvement in a “major corruption scheme” related to cartel drug trafficking.
On August 7, 2026, former CBP agent Jesse Clark García, 38, a resident of San Diego, California, was sentenced in federal court to nine years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
“Agent García betrayed his oath, his colleagues, and his country. Agent García’s conduct warranted this severe sentence,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
In July 2025, García pleaded guilty to nine felonies, including conspiracy to import controlled substances and multiple counts of importation and aiding and abetting.
As part of his guilty plea, García admitted that he facilitated the entry into the United States of at least 100 kilograms of fentanyl, 107 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 270 kilograms of cocaine.
García admitted that, since 2021, he provided drug traffickers linked to the Sinaloa Cartel with his work schedules and lane assignments so that vehicles transporting cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl could pass through his inspection lanes at the Tecate border crossing without being inspected.
Authorities stated that García used a “secret code based on emojis in text messages” to communicate with the drug traffickers, and that he earned “at least $10,000 for each drug-laden vehicle he allowed to pass through the port.”
García reportedly used the money for luxury purchases, a high-end vehicle, a home in San Diego, a stake in a horse racing business, and the construction of a ranch in Mexico.
As the investigation progressed, García attempted to flee to Mexico but was apprehended by Mexican authorities and returned to the U.S. on May 2, 2024.
Co-defendant Diego Bonillo, also a former CBP agent, pleaded guilty in July 2025 and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
“Jesse Clark García showed utter contempt for the oath he took as a CBP agent to protect our communities when he knowingly and repeatedly allowed cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl to enter our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI’s San Diego field office. “The FBI’s San Diego field office and our partners work tirelessly to ensure that those who dishonor the badge are held accountable. The few corrupt individuals do not represent the entire federal law enforcement community. Today’s sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to rooting out these unworthy individuals and paving the way for justice to be served.”
