INLAND EMPIRE, Calif. (KGTV)--A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agent from Murrieta was arrested yesterday on charges he helped a foreign national illegally enter the country.
Felix Cisneros, 42, made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon but was not asked to enter a plea. He'll be released from custody on $300,000 bond tonight.
Cisneros is a 10-year veteran with Homeland Security Investigations in the Inland Empire is accused of allowing a Mexican national who had left the U.S. re-enter the country through Los Angeles International Airport on September 7, 2013 after being asked to do so by the leader of a criminal organization based in Southern California.
A complaint filed March 21 states:
"Cisneros contacted CPB Officers on duty at LAX at the scheduled time of [Mexican national's] arrival and, again likely through deception, persuaded them to allow the [Mexican national] to enter the United States, thus aiding and assisting the entry into the United States of an inadmissible alien."
Cisneros also allegedly helped the Mexican national, who had felony conviction that would have barred this person from re-entering the U.S., regain a seized passport.
The Mexican national has since become a confidential source for federal law inforcement.
If Cisneros is found guilty, the felony offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.
Cisneros waived preliminary hearing and is scheduled to be arraigned on April 27.
Sandy Coronilla is a KGTV digital producer. Follow her @10NewsSandy
