Former Michigan Border Patrol agent pleads guilty to receiving child pornography

A former Customs and Border Protection agent from Michigan pleaded guilty on Tuesday to receiving child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Harry Marvelle Peless III, 51, of Newport, was charged with one count of receipt of child pornography.

According to court records, Peless, who at the time was employed as a Marine Border Protection Agent at the Gibraltar Customs and Border Protection station, sent sexual messages to an undercover officer who was posing as a minor. 

Federal prosecutors say Peless began communicating with the undercover agent in September 2024, eventually becoming a "near daily occurrence."

During an investigation, authorities say they recovered evidence that Peless received child pornography over the internet and that he was logged into a chat account that he is accused of using to message the undercover agent while he was at the Gibraltar Customs and Border Protection station.

Peless was placed on unpaid administrative leave when he was initially charged in July 2025. 

Peless will be sentenced on June 1.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.