Story highlights
Marcos Rodriguez-Perez pleads guilty in U.S. federal court
Prosecutors: Rodriguez admits he lured a border patrol agent into a trap
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy, robbery and weapons charges
Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas Jr. was killed in July 2009
A Mexican national pleaded guilty Wednesday to conspiracy, robbery and firearm charges in connection with the 2009 slaying of a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
Marcos Rodriguez-Perez admitted he was one of three gunmen who lured Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas Jr. into a trap to steal his night-vision goggles, prosecutors said in a statement.
Rosas suffered multiple gunshot wounds near the U.S.-Mexico fence in the Campo area of San Diego County, California.
According to the plea agreement, Rodriguez admitted that he and two others entered the United States through a hole in the border fence and detained Rosas at gunpoint.
As they struggled with Rosas, Rodriguez and the others fired multiple shots at the agent, the plea agreement said. Then they fled back to Mexico with his bag, firearm, handcuffs and night-vision goggles.
The plea agreement Rodriguez signed calls for a sentence of 58 years in prison, the U.S. attorney’s office said. Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced in November.
Authorities in Tijuana, Mexico, arrested him in 2011.
Three others have pleaded guilty to crimes connected with the border patrol agent’s slaying, prosecutors said. One suspect remains on the a fugitive.
CNN’s Amanda Watts contributed to this report.