A Portland man pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges after attempting to bribe an immigration officer in a Vancouver parking lot into deporting the man’s own wife, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oregon.
Antonio Oswaldo Burgos, 48, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of bribery of a public official.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Burgos followed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer’s vehicle from the ICE office in Portland to a parking lot in Vancouver on May 24.
In the parking lot, Burgos approached the officer and offered the officer money to deport Burgos’ wife. Burgos met his wife in El Salvador, and they were in the process of getting a divorce, according to the U.S. Attorney.
The officer declined Burgos’ offer and reported the event to the ICE Office of Professional Responsibility.
On May 31, the officer made a recorded call to Burgos with the assistance of an ICE Office of Professional Responsibility team. Burgos offered $3,000 to have his wife removed from the country. They spoke again, in another recorded call, June 5, where Burgos again offered money to have his wife deported and to discuss logistics, according to the U.S. Attorney.
On June 6, Burgos and the officer met in a pre-determined spot, where Burgos offered $4,000 to take his wife and his wife’s minor child from a previous relationship, the U.S. Attorney said. Burgos was arrested June 29.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Burgos faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. His sentencing was scheduled for May 6.
