MIAMI — A U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence Specialist who worked with agents of the Department of Homeland Security; Immigration Customs Enforcement and the Drug Enforcement Agency was arrested last week for allegedly taking bribes and helping steal drugs, federal officials allege.
A confidential informant reported the crimes to federal agents who launched an investigation.
Jose Emmanuel Torres, 37, of Cooper City, was assigned to the Department of Defense Intelligence Agency collecting intelligence with other federal agencies about people involved in terrorism and drug trafficking, federal prosecutors said.
During the course of his duties, federal authorities alleges that Torres had interviewed an individual who was attempting to gain legal residence status in the United States and had provided Torres and other agents of the United States with information regarding persons involved in drug trafficking and terrorism, authorities said.
In August 2013, Torres told the informant that he had used his influence to get him arrested on immigration charges. A month later, Torres told the informant that he was having financial problems and not making enough money as a Marine. Torres asked the informant for $10,000 and threatened to use his influence to have him arrested, federal officials.
The informant went to authorities who launched an investigation.
Torres continued to ask for the $10,000 and promised that the informant would not go back to jail even if Torres had to put his “neck on the line,” officials said. In November 2013, the informant paid Torres $6,000 in order for Torres to use his influence to help the informant with his immigration proceedings.
During the course of the relationship, Torres asked the informant if he had drug trafficking contacts in Costa Rica and Miami because Torres was looking to conduct a robbery of a delivery of drug money or identify a stash house where drug money was stored.
On Jan. 31, Torres was finally arrested after Torres met the informant in a parking lot at Dania, Florida. Torres was given a duffel bag that reportedly had $250,000 inside of it. He was arrested after taking the duffel bag.
If convicted, Torres could get up to 40 years in prison.
A native of Puerto Rico, Torres enlisted in 1999, and served in Iraq from September 2009 until January 2010, according to the Marine Corps, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported.