Customs and Border Protection Agent Charged With Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material of a Minor

DETROIT – Today, FBI agents arrested a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent after he solicited sex from, and sent obscene material to, an undercover officer posing as a 13-year-old girl on the internet, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.

Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.

Arrested was Harry Marvelle Peless, III, 51, of Newport, Michigan.  Peless, who is employed as a Border Patrol Agent in Michigan, began communicating with the undercover officer in September 2024 using an online messaging application.

According to the criminal complaint, during their near daily online conversations, Peless sent obscene material and multiple requests for the undercover officer to run away with Peless and have sex. Evidence recovered during the investigation showed that Peless had logged into the chat account he used to communicate with the undercover officer while he was at work.

A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge and is not evidence of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  It is the burden of the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Office of Professional Responsibility and Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton Brown.