A former US border inspector received a 23-year prison sentence on Friday for accepting bribes to permit the entry of individuals and vehicles carrying drugs into the country, according to officials.
During the trial, witnesses provided testimony indicating that Leonard Darnell George, 42, permitted the vehicles to pass through his lane in late 2021 at the San Ysidro border crossing in San Diego, recognized as the busiest port of entry in the nation, according to a statement from the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
In February 2022, a warning regarding a suspect vehicle led to a search, which uncovered 222 pounds (100 kilograms) of methamphetamine.
A former U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer reportedly permitted another vehicle to cross the border carrying 200 pounds of narcotics, according to prosecutors.
Messages reveal that the officer was paid $17,000 for each vehicle, totaling $68,000 after permitting four vehicles to pass through his lane in June 2022.
In June, a jury found him guilty of accepting bribes along with additional charges.
“CBP does not tolerate misconduct within its ranks,” said Elizabeth Cervantes, special agent in charge of the agency’s Office of Professional Responsibility in San Diego.