NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 3, 2023
SAN DIEGO – U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Leonard Darnell George was charged in an indictment unsealed today with accepting bribes to allow vehicles containing drugs such as fentanyl and methamphetamine to pass through the border into the U.S.
In addition, George is charged along with Mario Angel Gutierrez, Esteban Galvan and four other unnamed defendants with conspiracy to import and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in the Southern District of California and elsewhere. According to the indictment and other public records, the defendants allegedly coordinated the smuggling of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin from Mexico with an ultimate destination of the United States.
Officer George is charged separately with receiving bribes. The indictment alleges that he did directly and indirectly corruptly demand, seek, receive, accept, and agree to receive items of value in return for being induced to permit narcotics laden vehicles entry into the United States in violation of his official duties, that is failing to enforce controlled substances and customs laws of the United States.
Gutierrez is charged separately with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“The indictment alleges that Officer George broke the very drug trafficking laws that he was supposed to enforce,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our agency partners in the Southern...
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