Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officer Charged with Receiving a Bribe

EL PASO – A federal grand jury in El Paso returned an indictment today charging an El Paso man with receiving a bribe by a public official.

According to court documents, Roberto Padilla, 50, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer stationed in El Paso was persuaded to reveal law enforcement sensitive information in exchange for a $500 payment to satisfy his drug debt.

The defendant was arrested on August 6, 2021 and is currently on bond.  He is scheduled for an arraignment next week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Castaneda of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas; FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Downey, El Paso Division; Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Ricardo Hutterer, El Paso Division; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Professional Responsibility Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Huerta, Central Division, made the announcement.

The FBI; Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Professional Responsibility are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Osterberg is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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