Overview

• A federal grand jury returned the indictment on June 24 and it was unsealed on July 2, leading to arrests in Houston and La Porte
• The indictment names bondsmen Leopoldo Perrault Benitez, his son Anthony Benitez, and Isaac Sierra alongside ICE officer Jose Angel Muniz
• Authorities allege the trio of bail agents paid Muniz to lift 48-hour immigration detainers so detainees could post bond without ICE transfer
• All four made initial appearances before Magistrate Judge Peter Bray and remain in federal custody pending further proceedings
• If convicted, each faces up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000 or the value of the bribes, based on an investigation by ICE’s OPR, the FBI and DHS-OIG