A former Customs and Border
Protection Officer Thomas P. Silva, of Chula Vista, was sentenced last week to
eight months behind bars for concealing a wanted fugitive by allowing him to
enter the United States from Mexico without inspection, despite verifying the
fugitive's status Customs and Border computer systems, according to federal officials.
In handing down the sentence,
Judge Anthony J. Battaglia told Silva, 33, that his conduct was "an
abomination" and that he had "brought shame" to the United States by carrying
out these criminal activities while working as a Customs officer at San Ysidro
Port of Entry, federal authorities stated.
Silva also admitted to
engaging in a separate scheme to defraud Farmers Insurance of over $7,000 by
falsely reporting that his Nissan Titan pickup truck had been stolen from a
local San Diego community, federal officials allege.
Silva said he took the truck to Mexico prior to reporting it stolen in furtherance of his fraudulent scheme. Thereafter, Silva filed the false claim with Farmers Insurance, which the insurance company then paid based on his misrepresentations, federal officials stated.