Aguilar-Martinez is accused of smuggling undocumented people into the United States via the San Ysidro Port of Entry, and bribing Cota with money and sexual favours to allow the pair to carry out their operation.
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During an interview with Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, Juarez-Herrera admitted that she smuggled undocumented immigrants through the port of entry and conceded that she paid monetary bribes to Cota and performed sexual favors for him in exchange for his allowing the unlawful border crossings to occur, according to the complaint.
In exchange, she told agents, she paid him with monetary and sexual bribes, according to the complaint.
Juarez-Herrera and Aguilar-Martinez, who were previously deported from the US, repeatedly presented Cota with illegitimate immigration documents as they crossed the border with unauthorized immigrants in their vehicle, the complaint states.
On Thursday, Cota, Juerez-Herrera and Aguilar-Martinez were booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego.
Bank records show Cota also received large amounts of cash that were deposited into his bank account after he allowed the smuggling duo into the U.S. Cota received $9,200, $9,500 and $5,740 after he alleged smuggling incidents on November 3, Nov. 6 and March 15, respectively.
A detention hearing for each defendent is scheduled for September 14 at 9:30 a.m. before the U.S. Magistrate. All of the charges carry either a 15 or 20-year maximum sentence along with hefty fines.
Aguilar-Martinez is accused of assisting the smuggling operation.
Both women allegedly participated in the scheme and were also charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Alien Smuggling for Financial Gain and Alien smuggling for Financial Gain.
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This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California in San Diego, California. He was arrested Wednesday along with two co-defendants.
