Airport Police Officer Convicted of Selling Cocaine Sentenced to Prison

LAREDO, TX—Vidal Gerardo Sepulveda, a Laredo International Airport police officer convicted of distributing cocaine while in uniform at the Laredo airport on Sept. 11, 2008, has been sentenced to prison, acting United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today.

United States District Judge George P. Kazen sentenced Sepulveda, 41, of Laredo, at a hearing this afternoon to 20 months in federal prison to be followed a three-year term of supervised release during which time he must pay a $7,500 fine. Sepulveda was arrested during the late evening hours of Sept. 11, 2008, by FBI agents at the Laredo International Airport after selling 24 grams of cocaine to an FBI cooperating source for $700. He was dressed in his police uniform during this sale. Sepulveda was indicted and subsequently pleaded guilty in November 2008. He admitted then to the September 2008, sale as well as four previous sales of cocaine to the cooperating source at various locations in Laredo. The four prior sales—all monitored by the FBI—involved a total of approximately 32 grams of cocaine.

Sepulveda, who has been free on bond since his arrest, has been permitted to remain on bond pending the issuance of a court ordered directing him to surrender to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future.

Agents of the Laredo office of the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diana Song and Brigida Pirra represented the United States during the prosecution of the case.