Former U.S. Border Patrol Agent pleads guilty to defrauding taxpayers
Press release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Western District of Texas
DEL RIO, Texas – A former U.S. Border Patrol agent pleaded guilty in a federal court in Del Rio today to defrauding the U.S. government by spending his official duty hours running a personal business while submitting time cards and collecting bi-weekly government paychecks, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons in support of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
According to court documents, in addition to being a USBP agent, Ramon Heriberto Cerda Jr., 41, of Eagle Pass, owned and operated a business known as El Eagle Mail. On multiple dates in February and March 2025, Cerda was observed at his residence during scheduled work hours despite his duties requiring him to be in the field.
To further observe Cerda’s activities, the FBI installed two surveillance cameras beginning on April 22, 2025, one providing a view of his home and the other providing a view of the El Eagle Mail business, located approximately 15 to 20 minutes away. Between April 22 and June 28, 2025, surveillance showed Cerda remained at his residence until approximately 2 p.m. on weekdays before traveling to the El Eagle Mail business, where he remained until after 4 p.m.
During the same time period, he submitted bi-weekly timecards reflecting that he worked for the USBP from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., claiming a total of 399.58 hours of pay between April 22 and June 28, 2025. He received approximately $17,724.74 in pay for those reported hours.
In addition to the surveillance video, the FBI obtained cell site location data for both Cerda’s government-issued phone and his personal phone. Analysis of the data also indicated Cerda was located at or near his residence during work hours and showed a lack of activity consistent with traveling to the Eagle Pass USBP station to pick up a government vehicle for his assigned transportation duties.
Additional investigative methods also corroborated the surveillance video.
Cerda was indicted in October 2025 for four counts of wire fraud, four counts of false statement or representation made to an agency or department of the United States, and three counts of receiving stolen government money or property.
Pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Duarte II is prosecuting the case.
