Aaron Anaya, a U.S. Border Patrol agent, told FBI agents with the Southwest Border Corruption Task Force after his arrest, “I’m f***ed. You guys got me on video.” The Border Patrol agent was surveyed by aircraft receiving 147 pounds of marijuana in three dufflebags from suspected Mexican smugglers at an international border.
Southwest Border Corruption Task Force agents with the help of fixed wing and rotor aircraft, were conducting surveillance in the area between Yuma and Wellton. Agents said that they watched as Anaya stopped his patrol vehicle along the border and three individuals approached the border fence at approximately 7:33 p.m., “One of the individuals climbed the fence and facilitated the passing of what appeared large bales over the fence onto the U.S. side. The individual who climbed the fence then returned to the Mexican side and all three individuals proceeded southbound away from the fence,” wrote agent Jesse Marotta in the probable cause affidavit.
Anaya picked up the bales and then continued his patrol of the border.
Anaya made no radio contact to report the bales. As short while after he picked up the bags he came in contact with a fellow officer and after talking for a few minutes both proceeded to head in opposite directions.
Finally at about 10:40 p.m., agents detained and arrested Anaya.
Agents found three black duffle bags containing 6 cellophane wrapped bales of marijuana in the back of the patrol vehicle.
Anaya, age 25, was charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and firearm possession during a drug trafficking offense.
According to Border Patrol union members, DHS (Department of Homeland Security) “is tied for 2nd to last place in a new job satisfaction survey.” Local 2544, says that it is really “only a surprise that we aren’t dead last, but we were beaten out for that “honor” by an agency that deals solely with records and archives.” The overworked underpaid agents say that it is a thankless job.
Since its creation in 2003, DHS employees have reported having low job satisfaction according to a March 2012 GAO report. The GAO says that it conducted the study and “designated the implementation and transformation of DHS as high risk because it represented an enormous and complex undertaking that would require time to achieve in an effective and efficient manner.” The overworked unpaid agents say that it is a thankless job and morale is reportedly at its lowest point.
Just yesterday the DOJ official who oversaw the gun running scandal, Fast and Furious, which led to the death of Agent Brian Terry resigned from his post.
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