U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations.
Courtesy/U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Laredo Morning Times
Zach Davis, Laredo Morning Times
A Customs and Border Protection officer facing charges for allowing cocaine to go through an international bridge in exchange for money has now also been indicted for illegally smuggling people into the United States.
The U.S. Attorney's Office announced Friday that Emanuel Celedon, 36, was indicted for allegedly illegally smuggling four undocumented persons into the United States. He previously worked at the Laredo Port of Entry at the time of the offenses.
Others charged included Homero Romero-Hernandez, 30, and Jose Osvaldo Zapata Vasquez, 24 -- Mexican nationals illegally residing in the U.S. -- and Beatris Martinez, 20, of Cotulla.
The most recent indictment charged Celedon and Martinez with four counts of bringing an undocumented individual to the U.S. during two separate occasions occurring in September and November. Zapata and Romero were charged in three counts.
An indictment returned Nov. 28 previously charged Celedon with two counts of bribery and two counts of attempted importation of cocaine.
From Oct. 1-17, Celedon allegedly accepted money in exchange for allowing an individual to go through a Laredo international bridge with cocaine without inspection. He was accused of accepting another bribe in the same manner from Oct. 23-30.
Celedon faces up to 40 years in federal prison for the human smuggling charges. Meanwhile, he also faces 15 years for each bribery charge and a possible $250,000 maximum fine, as well as up to 40 years and a possible maximum $5 million fine for the cocaine importation charges.
The Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General along with the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard W. Bennett and Jennifer Day are prosecuting the case.