Ex-border agent pleads guilty, gets 70-year term

Ex-border agent pleads guilty, gets 70-year term
By Diana Washington Valdez / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 06/18/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT


A U.S. federal court sentenced former Border Patrol Agent Arturo Arzate Jr. on Tuesday to 70 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to bribery and drug conspiracy charges.\

U.S. District Judge Frank Montalvo also ordered Arzate to pay a $30,000 fine and be placed under supervised release for 15 years after completing his sentence.

Federal officials said Arzate "admitted that from Sept. 1, 2005, until Aug. 15, 2006, he conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute more than 600 grams of cocaine. In two undercover operations, May 5, 2006, and again June 1, 2006, Arzate received $10,000 and $6,000, respectively, in return for allowing narcotic-laden vehicles to pass through the U.S. Border Patrol 62/180 checkpoint without inspection."

"In addition, (Arzate) admitted that on at least two occasions, he personally transported cocaine -- 90 pounds and 50 pounds, respectively, through the checkpoint, and delivered it to an unnamed co-conspirator in Van Horn, Texas."

Officials said Arzate also admitted that he was paid to assist drug-traffickers by allowing vehicles with drugs to pass through various Border Patrol checkpoints since 1990.

Arzate fled to Mexico in January 2007 and was extradited to the U.S. earlier this year.

Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier said Arzate had worked for the agency since 1985, and resigned in October 2006.

Assuming he is a model prisoner, Arzate will probably serve 87 to 88 percent of the 70-year sentence before he is eligible for parole, said Daryl Fields, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in San Antonio.

Diana Washington Valdez may be reached at dvaldez@elpasotimes.com; 546-6140

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