Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found themselves in hot water after a scheme to cheat on a physical fitness test unraveled. Cristiani Briana White and Cynteria Janise LeBlanc, both from Mission, Texas, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges for their roles in the deception.
According to NewsNation, White, desperate to join Homeland Security Investigations, failed the required fitness test in September 2024. Unable to retake it due to an injury, she enlisted LeBlanc to impersonate her using White’s driver’s license at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
The plan collapsed when a sharp-eyed special agent, who had met White before, grew suspicious and demanded identification. LeBlanc’s attempt to pass herself off as White, even pleading for the agents to “let this one slide,” fell flat as the agents reported the misconduct to the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General.
White’s application to Homeland Security Investigations hinged on passing a grueling fitness test, including a 220-yard sprint, a 1.5-mile run, sit-ups, and push-ups. Failing twice meant removal from the hiring process, a risk she couldn’t take after her initial stumble.
Her attorney, Joseph C. Magliolo Jr., painted a sympathetic picture, noting White’s on-the-job injury as the root of her dilemma. “She got injured while a federal agent, and couldn’t pass the physical to move on up,” Magliolo told the court, calling it a sad story of poor judgment by two otherwise stellar officers.
Yet, good intentions don’t excuse breaking the law, especially for officers sworn to uphold it. While one can understand the urge to help a friend, using fraudulent means to game a federal process undermines the very standards these agencies stand for.
LeBlanc’s role as the stand-in was bold but reckless, and her excuse to agents that she was “just trying to help her friend get her dream job” didn’t sway them. Federal agents, trained to spot deception, weren’t about to bend the rules for personal favors.
The confrontation at the university exposed the fraud swiftly, with LeBlanc’s attempt to walk away only deepening the hole. Her plea for leniency as a fellow officer landed on deaf ears, a reminder that integrity isn’t negotiable in these ranks.
Such incidents raise fair questions about accountability within federal agencies. If officers are willing to skirt rules for something as straightforward as a fitness test, it’s worth asking what other corners might be cut under pressure.
Facing a federal investigation, White and LeBlanc opted for a plea deal, admitting guilt to possessing an identification document with intent to defraud the United States. In exchange, they agreed to resign from Customs and Border Protection and swore off federal employment for 25 years.
Prosecutors, prioritizing their removal from service, dropped potential felony charges for false statements to a federal agent. “The main goal is just to have both defendants resign from CBP,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarina S. DiPiazza, underscoring the need to protect agency credibility.
Still, the plea hit a snag when U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis delayed sentencing pending a pre-sentence investigation report. This left White and LeBlanc in limbo, unable to finalize resignations or sentencing on the spot, creating an awkward bind for their legal teams.
As sentencing looms on Aug. 19, the case of White and LeBlanc serves as a cautionary tale for public servants. Ambition shouldn’t trump ethics, especially in roles where trust is the currency of the job.
Their story isn’t just about two officers who slipped up; it’s a broader signal to reassess how personal pressures can erode professional standards. While empathy for their situation is warranted, the line between right and wrong must hold firm.
In a climate where public faith in institutions is already shaky, incidents like this fuel skepticism about who guards the guardians. Restoring that trust starts with ensuring consequences match the breach, a balance this case must strike at sentencing.
