Customs Officer Held in Probe of Immigrant Smuggling Ring

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer was charged Wednesday with being a key member of an immigrant smuggling ring that passed migrant-laden cars through his inspection booth at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.

Michael Anthony Gilliland, 44, a veteran officer at the port 15 miles southeast of downtown San Diego, is accused of permitting motorists smuggling illegal immigrants to enter the country without inspection.

The migrants were seeking a “sure thing” to cross into the United States, according to an FBI affidavit filed with the criminal complaint in federal court in San Diego.

Gilliland, who was arrested Tuesday, was being held without bail. His attorney could not be reached for comment.

The arrest marked the culmination of a two-year investigation by the Border Corruption Task Force, a multi-agency group that focuses on officers at the Otay Mesa and San Ysidro Ports of Entry.

“This type of corruption poses a fundamental threat to the security of our border and nation,” said Dan Dzwilewski, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Diego office.

Gilliland, who worked the graveyard shift, allegedly conspired with at least two female smuggling partners to bring vehicles carrying illegal immigrants through his inspection lane. One of the alleged partners, Marina Perez de Garcia, a Tijuana resident, also faces charges.

The case largely centers on an incident last week, when Gilliland let pass a Lincoln Navigator carrying a driver and nine illegal immigrants, according to the complaint.

In recent months, he was seen twice collecting plastic bags believed to be full of money from smugglers or their relatives, according to the affidavit.

A bail hearing is scheduled for Friday. If convicted, Gilliland could face five years in prison.