“Roel Alaniz admitted he paid immigration detention employees for ‘alien detainee roster lists.’ The lists were provided to him or his sister - Cynthia Alanis - who is also an attorney, in the Rio Grande Valley [of Texas],” Justice said in a press release.
The detainee lists contained names, dates of birth, country of origin and alien identification numbers. The attorneys would visit those listed, or instruct others to do so, in order to solicit them as clients in future immigration proceedings,” the release said.
Roel Alaniz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery of a public official. His sister pleaded guilty to making a false statement in a bribery investigation, the release added.
In addition, two employees of Texas' Willacy County Regional Detention Center, who sold the lists to Roel Alaniz, pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and bribery of a public official, according to the release.