A Customs and Border Protection officer was indicted Monday on charges of taking bribes to allow drugs to be smuggled across the southern border.
Leonard George asked for and received unspecified “items of value” from drug traffickers, the Office for the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California said in a news release.
Mr. George is accused of coordinating with fellow defendants Mario Gutierrez, Esteban Galvan and four unnamed others the smuggling of heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine from Mexico.
Mr. George faces charges of receiving bribes, conspiracy to import and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, and possessing a gun to carry out drug trafficking.
Mr. Galvan and the four unnamed defendants each face a count of conspiracy to import and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Mr. Gutierrez faces two conspiracy charges and one count of gun possession to carry out drug trafficking.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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