TUCSON, Ariz. – A former officer with U.S. Customs and Border Safety (CBP) was sentenced Wednesday to 96 months in federal jail for receiving bribes and drug trafficking whereas serving in his official capability.
Johnny Acosta, 38, of Douglas, pleaded responsible earlier than U.S. District Choose Cindy Okay. Jorgenson to felony prices of conspiracy to import greater than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and accepting bribes as a public official. Acosta was beforehand employed as a CBP officer on the Douglas port of entry, the place he started working in 2008.
“These in legislation enforcement capacities are imagined to uphold our nation’s legal guidelines, not willingly break them,” stated Performing Particular Agent in Cost for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Workplace of Skilled Accountability (OPR) Western Area Martin Suarez. “It’s at all times troublesome when the actions of a single officer stain the respect and integrity of legislation enforcement officers who put their lives on the road to uphold the legislation. Guarding towards unlawful or unethical habits is just not an choice; it’s an obligation now we have to the folks we serve.”
“As a port of entry inspector, Acosta served on the entrance line of America’s effort to maintain illicit medicine from flowing into our nation. He broke the general public belief by succumbing to greed,” stated U.S. Legal professional John S. Leonardo. “Corrupt officers like Acosta degrade the general public’s religion that their authorities staff will faithfully execute the legal guidelines of the US. It’s a high precedence of the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace and our legislation enforcement companions to vigilantly defend the integrity of our authorities. The profitable prosecution of Acosta was as a result of exhausting work, perseverance, and ingenuity by the Cochise Border Corruption Activity Drive, which incorporates the FBI, ICE’s OPR and HSI, CBP Inner Affairs, and the Douglas Police Division.”
“This sentencing demonstrates the continued dedication of the FBI and its legislation enforcement companions to determine and root out corrupt public officers. The FBI takes all allegations of corruption critically as we maintain our public officers to the best ranges of integrity,” acknowledged FBI Particular Agent in Cost Douglas G. Worth.
Acosta, a lifelong resident of Douglas, spent his whole profession with CBP on the Douglas port of entry. The investigation led to the indictment of Acosta and 5 different people on an array of drug-related prices. On Oct. 20, 2015, Acosta was arrested by the FBI on the Worldwide Border in Nogales as he tried to flee into Mexico to keep away from prosecution.
Two of the co-defendants within the case have pleaded responsible to prices in reference to the conspiracy to import marijuana into the US. A type of defendants, Ricardo Peralta-Cuevas, was beforehand sentenced to 37 months in jail. The opposite defendant is pending sentencing. A 3rd defendant is scheduled to enter a responsible plea Feb. 22. The remaining two defendants within the indictment stay fugitives.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Legal professional Wallace H. Kleindienst.
