The migrant was being held at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility at the time of the incident. She claimed that the suspect, Fernando Castillo, offered to drive her to the Paso Del Norte port of entry for a voluntary return to Mexico. During the drive, Castillo allegedly told her that for $5,000, he could obtain papers that would allow her to remain in the United States, according to CBS 4 News.
Following the offer, the migrant was taken to a processing center. Castillo placed her in a cell and began to look through her property bag, allegedly stealing $500 from her.
After being dropped off in Mexico by Castillo, the migrant realized she was missing a lot of the cash she had on hand. She reported Castillo to border authorities in El Paso. An investigation involving the FBI, CBP’s Public Corruption Task Force, and the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General ensued, according to CNN.
The migrant received multiple phone calls from a “blocked number,” including one that took place during an interview with investigators who determined the caller was likely Castillo.
Officials recorded the phone call, during which the caller told the migrant how she could obtain the immigration papers and be escorted back into the United States.
Investigators also evaluated the migrant’s immigration file and found that Castillo had purportedly changed her file from “Voluntary Return” to “Notice to Appear,” which would mean she had “legal reason to enter the United States,” CNN reported.
On June 28, Castillo allegedly took the migrant through a “voluntary removal area,” utilizing the “Notice to Appear” form. The $5,000 was not exchanged as the victim alleged Castillo wanted to wait to receive payment.
During an interview with federal authorities that same day, Castillo denied stealing the $500 that had been reported missing but did purportedly confess to changing files, forging signatures, and calling the migrant he had allegedly victimized.
He claimed that he would have been blamed if she was harmed while in Mexico and said he planned to send her back to El Salvador on a deportation flight, reported CBS News Texas.
CBP released a statement regarding the incident. According to CBS 4, the agency said, “CBP takes allegations of misconduct seriously and investigates them thoroughly. The United States Border Patrol is cooperating with the investigation.”
A grand jury indicted Castillo on counts of wire fraud, bribery, and migrant smuggling. He is currently out on a $30,000 bond. His arraignment has been set for August 17, per CNN.
Closer to home in Dallas, crime continues to rise in the city. As of August 5, there has been a 6.25% increase in murders year over year, according to a Dallas Police Department (DPD) report.
DPD has been suffering a significant shortage of officers in recent years, maintaining a force of around 3,100 when a City analysis advises that 4,000 officers are needed to adequately police the city. The shortage has been especially felt downtown, which regularly logs considerably more crime than Fort Worth’s downtown area, which has a dedicated police unit working alongside private security guards.
