In El Paso today, the wife of former Supervisory Customs and Border Protection OfficerLawrence Madrid who failed to appear for trial last year pleaded guilty to her role in an alien smuggling and bribery scheme announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jeff Mayfield, (ASAC) Las Cruces; and, Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Javy Pedroza.
Appearing before Senior United States District Judge David Briones, 39-year-old Odet Madrid-Corchado pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, one substantive count of alien smuggling for financial gain and one count of bribery of a public official. Odet Madrid-Corchado, who has remained in custody following her arrest on November 29, 2016, faces not more than ten years imprisonment on the conspiracy charge, between three and ten years imprisonment for the substantive alien smuggling charge, and not more than 15 years imprisonment for the bribery charge. Sentencing is scheduled for 9:30am on April 5, 2017.
According to court records, from August 2010 to September 2011, Odet Madrid-Corchado conspired with her husband and others to encourage/induce undocumented aliens to come to, enter, and reside in the United States without proper authorization. Specifically, Odet Madrid-Corchado facilitated the crossing of aliens through ports of entry and collected the smuggling fees. During the conspiracy, Lawrence Madrid accepted money for using his official position to allow undocumented aliens to be smuggled through the ports of entry in El Paso.
An arrest warrant was issued for Odet Madrid-Corchado after she failed to appear with her husband for trial. Her $10,000 appearance bond has been forfeited to the Government. On May 26, 2016, a federal jury in El Paso found Lawrence Madrid guilty of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, aiding and abetting alien smuggling for financial gain, and two substantive counts of accepting a bribe. Lawrence Madrid is currently serving a 90-month federal prison sentence handed down on September 9, 2016,
A third defendant in this case, 46-year-old undocumented alien Maria Guadalupe Jaime-Hernandez, is also considered a fugitive after failing to appear for sentencing in September 2016. On May 5, 2016, Jaime-Hernandez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain. Her $10,000 appearance bond has been forfeited to the Government and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Cruces Office together with the Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Greg McDonald and Robert Almonte are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.