News From the Border: Border Agent Sentenced to 6 Years for Accepting Cash, Cars From Illegal Immigrant Smugglers

News From the Border

Providing the news from a different front but from a war that we must win as well! I recognize the poverty and desperate conditions that many Latinos live in. We, as the USA, have a responsibility to do as much as we can to reach out to aid and assist spiritually with the Gospel and naturally with training, technology and resources. But poverty gives no one the right to break the laws of another sovereign nation.

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Border Agent Sentenced to 6 Years for Accepting Cash, Cars From Illegal Immigrant Smugglers

Monday , March 26, 2007
Associated Press

SAN DIEGO — An American border inspector was sentenced Monday to nearly six years in prison for taking cash and cars from smugglers, allowing them to shuttle illegal immigrants from Mexico into the United States.

Richard Elizalda, a 10-year veteran of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, worked at the world's busiest border crossing, the San Ysidro Port of Entry between Tijuana, Mexico, and San Diego. Investigators said he sent text messages directing smugglers to his inspection lane, then waved their vehicles through.

In return, he received as much as $1,000 for each immigrant, totaling $120,000 in cash starting in 2004.

Love, smuggling lead to prison

Labels: Human Smuggling, Justice is served