A former Texas sheriff was sentenced to prison for helping Mexican drug smugglers in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribes. Starr County Sheriff Reymundo Guerra will spend 64 months in federal prison and four years of supervised release after Guerra admitted his role in the endeavor.
Guerra was arrested last October and was classified as a “minor participant” in a drug trafficking case that has resulted in indictments against 28 people, according to the Associated Press. The drug group was allegedly headed by Jose Carlos Hinojosa, a former member of the Zetas enforcement arm of the Gulf Cartel.Prosecutors said that Guerra allowed the drug trafficking group to bring drugs through his county, in a manner similar to how some high-ranking officials in Mexico have struck agreements with dominant drug groups south of the border. It’s not clear exactly how much Guerra earned in bribes, though it started with an initial payment of $3,000. Guerra’s role was sharing information with the drug group and providing false information to U.S. law enforcement to protect the interests of the drug group, according to prosecutors.
SOURCE:
Sherman, Christopher. “Texas sheriff among those sentenced in drug ring.” Associated Press August 27, 2009.
