Ex-Juárez authority gets 8 years in drug case
By Daniel Borunda / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 09/16/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT



EL PASO -- Former Juárez city police director Saulo Reyes Gamboa, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle drugs and bribe a federal officer, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison Monday in U.S. District Court, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

U.S. District Judge Phil Martinez also ordered Reyes to pay a $50,000 fine, forfeit $19,250 and a 2005 Volkswagen Touareg and to be under supervised release for 20 years after his prison term.

On Jan. 15 and 16, Reyes paid a total of $19,250 to an undercover U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent posing as an inspector to allow a vehicle with more than 800 pounds of marijuana cross the Paso del Norte Bridge without being inspected, officials said.

Reyes, 37, could be have been sentenced from five years up to 40 years in prison.

During the past 10 years, the former police official and businessman worked in various positions of Juárez city government.

"Bribing a federal official and importing illegal drugs into the United States are both serious crimes, and ICE is committed to enforcing the law without prejudice or preference," said Julio M. Velez, acting special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in El Paso.

Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102.



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