(Texas Scorecard) – Federal prosecutors have accused four Houston-area men, including a former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, of shielding criminal illegal aliens from deportation.
Former ICE deportation officer José Angel Muniz, 51, of La Porte; Leopoldo Perrault Benitez, 53, owner of A Way Out Bail Bonds in Houston; his son Anthony Benitez, 32; and Isaac Sierra, 51, of International Bonding Company; allegedly conspired between April 2023 and March 2024 to remove ICE detainers in exchange for bribes.
Prosecutors allege that the scheme enabled individuals in the Harris County Jail to be released on bond, sidestepping federal removal proceedings.
All four defendants made initial appearances in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray and were ordered detained pending further proceedings.
“This indictment underscores our commitment to rooting out corruption,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei of the Southern District of Texas. “There is no room whatsoever for bribery or side deals when it comes to immigration enforcement.”
If convicted, each man faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
The case strikes at the heart of Houston’s bail bond system and immigration enforcement infrastructure. Harris County has long been a flashpoint in the debate over local-federal cooperation on immigration.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez ended the county’s participation in ICE’s controversial 287(g) program in 2017, but ICE detainers are still regularly issued for undocumented individuals booked into county jails.
Supporters argue that immigration detainers are critical to public safety. This case highlights behind-the-scenes corruption enabling individuals to avoid immigration court with the help of a federal officer.
The FBI and ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility led the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard D. Hanes prosecuting.