Former CBP Officer Sentenced for Alien Smuggling and Bribery
| U.S. Attorney’s Office January 11, 2011 |
BROWNSVILLE, TX—Former CBP (Customs and Border Protection) officer Rudy Trace Soliz III, 44, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for alien smuggling and bribery, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today. Soliz was convicted Aug. 4, 2010, following his guilty plea to transporting a certain alien within the United States for private financial gain and for accepting a bribe in his capacity as a government official.
The evidence at sentencing proved Soliz had allowed an uncharged female conspirator to bring in and transport illegal aliens into the United States for commercial advantage and financial gain. Soliz admitted he allowed the female conspirator to transport and bring in aliens through his vehicle inspection lane contrary to law in exchange for sexual favors. As a public official, that is, an officer with the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, Soliz corruptly demanded, sought, received, and accepted the sexual favors, to influence an official act—to allow illegal aliens to enter and be transported within the United States. The evidence indicated he allowed a total of eight illegal aliens to be brought into and transported within the United States.
Soliz’s sentence includes upward adjustments or increases in his calculated sentencing guideline range because he was a public official in a high level or sensitive position, received more than one bribe, was and used his position as a public official to facilitate the illegal entry into United States of a person.
Soliz was permitted to self surrender to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future where he will serve his sentence.
The case was investigated by Brownsville FBI agents, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Office of Professional Responsibility, Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General, and Customs and Border Protection - Office of Internal Affairs. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Angel Castro.