Federal agents arrested a U.S. Customs and Border
Protection officer Thursday accused of illegally purchasing firearms for
someone else, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Friday.
Manuel Eduardo Pena, 38, appeared Friday morning before a
U.S. magistrate judge.
Pena is on administrative leave pending adjudication of
the charges, CBP spokesman Eddie Perez said.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the Office
of Professional Responsibility observed Pena purchasing hunting rifles from
Academy Sports and Outdoors on two separate occasions in December, the
complaint states.
The agents then saw Pena sell the weapons to a man in the
parking lot, the complaint alleges.
After the first time, on Dec. 5, ICE and FBI agents
tailed the buyer to his home and asked him about the purchase, the complaint
says.
The man admitted to buying the rifle from Pena because as
a legal permanent resident, he could not legally buy a weapon himself.
The agents took as evidence the receipt for the purchase
and the rifle.
Several weeks later, on Dec. 19, agents surveying the
Academy store again witnessed Pena purchase a hunting rifle for reimbursement
from the same man.
The complaint states that upon purchasing the rifles,
Pena wrote he was buying them for his own use.
Pena, who was released on $50,000 bond, is scheduled to
appear in court again next week.