Former CBP Officer Arrested and Charged with Bribery
U.S. Attorney’s Office October 06, 2009 |
BROWNSVILLE, TX—Javier Cavazos, 50, of Los Fresnos, Texas, has been arrested and charged with bribery, United States Attorney Tim Johnson announced today. Cavazos, a former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, appeared before Magistrate Judge Ronald G. Morgan today in Brownsville.
Cavazos was arrested on Sept. 29, 2009, in Reno, Nev., and charged with bribery of a public official stemming from the unlawful entry of an undocumented alien on Dec. 18, 2008. The criminal complaint alleges that Cavazos, while employed as a CBP officer, accepted money to assist an undocumented alien’s unlawful entry into the United States. The case against Cavazos is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 9, 2009, at 10:30 a.m.
Judge Morgan granted Cavazos a $50,000 bond with a $1,000 deposit.
The bribery of a public official charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000 or three times the value of the item received.
This case is being investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Office of Professional Responsibility and the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Hagen.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.