Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have pleaded guilty to charges related to allowing vehicles carrying illegal drugs to enter the United States without inspection. Jesse Clark Garcia, assigned to the Tecate, California Port of Entry, and Diego Bonillo, stationed at the Otay Mesa, California Port of Entry, admitted in court to conspiring with members of a Mexican-based drug trafficking organization.
According to court documents, Garcia and Bonillo used a secret emoji-based code to communicate with the drug trafficking organization (DTO). They informed DTO members about their work schedules and lane assignments. The DTO then directed drug-laden vehicles through the officers’ lanes, knowing they would not be inspected.
Garcia entered his plea on July 8, 2025, admitting guilt on nine counts that included conspiracy to import controlled substances as well as importation of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl. Bonillo pleaded guilty on July 28, 2025—just before his scheduled jury trial—to three counts: conspiracy to import controlled substances and importation of fentanyl and heroin.
Bonillo acknowledged that he allowed at least 75 kilograms of fentanyl, 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, and over one kilogram of heroin into the country as part of the conspiracy. Prosecutors allege both men received significant financial benefits from their actions, which enabled them to pay for domestic and international trips as well as luxury purchases and efforts to buy real estate in Mexico.
Sentencing hearings are set for September 26 for Garcia and November 7 for Bonillo. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Van Demark, Bianca Calderon-Peñaloza, and Shauna Prewitt are prosecuting the case.
The investigation involved multiple agencies: Federal Bureau of Investigation; Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility; U.S. Border Patrol; Homeland Security Investigations; and Drug Enforcement Administration.
Both defendants face charges including conspiracy to import controlled substances under Title 21 U.S.C. Sections 952, 960, and 963—which carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years—and importation of controlled substances under Title 21 U.S.C. Sections 952 and 960.
