Ex-Border Patrol Agent Gets Over 7 Years for Accepting Bribes, Smuggling

SAN DIEGO—A former U.S. Border Patrol Agent who accepted bribes and took part in drug and human smuggling attempts was sentenced May 24 to more than seven years in federal prison. Hector Hernandez, 55, of Chula Vista, pleaded guilty to taking money in order to assist smugglers seeking to move drugs and people from Mexico into the United States. He admitted in a plea agreement to showing smugglers the locations of monitoring devices and cameras along the U.S.-Mexico border where they would best be able to avoid detection during smuggling operations. Prosecutors said Mr. Hernandez also opened restricted border fences on multiple occasions in order to allow migrants through and was paid $5,000 per incident....