Detroit, MI → A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent from Monroe County has pleaded guilty in federal court to receiving child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
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Harry Marvelle Peless III, 51, of Newport, entered the guilty plea Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, to one count of receipt of child pornography. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of up to 20 years, along with a possible fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for June 1 at 9 a.m.
Federal prosecutors said the investigation began after Peless allegedly sent sexual messages to an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a minor. According to court records, communication between Peless and the undercover officer began in September 2024 and quickly became a near-daily occurrence.
At the time of the offense, Peless was employed as a Marine Border Protection Agent assigned to the CBP station in Gibraltar. Investigators said evidence showed he received child pornography over the internet and was logged into the chat account used to communicate with the undercover officer while at the Gibraltar station.
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Following the filing of charges, Customs and Border Protection placed Peless on unpaid administrative leave.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton Brown. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., alongside FBI Detroit Field Office Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan.
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