BORDER PATROL AGENT TIED TO DRUGS

LAREDO -- A U.S. Border Patrol agent and his brother are accused of
soliciting and extorting about $1.6 million from drug traffickers and
allowing tons of narcotics to slip through patrol checkpoints near
Hebbronville, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday.

The case is at least the third in South Texas in recent months that accuses
either Border Patrol or U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, who
oversee international bridges, of being on the take.

Senior Patrol Agent Juan Alvarez, 35, and Jose Guadalupe Alvarez, 38, both
of Laredo, are named in the 12-count indictment for aiding and abetting;
possession of at least 2,000 pounds of marijuana and 11 pounds of cocaine;
bribery of a public official; and other charges.

Both were arrested Thursday and are in custody pending an initial
appearance today before a federal judge.

"Again, this underscores the commitment of this office to use its resources
and those of our federal law enforcement partners to ensure federal law
enforcement officials follow the same laws they are sworn to uphold,"
Michael Shelby, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas, said in a
news release.

Prosecutors say Juan Alvarez, who worked in the canine unit assigned to
checkpoints on Texas Highways 16 and 359, and his brother, were involved
with at least one monthly shipment of 1 to 2 tons of marijuana between June
2003 and March.

In a shipment Feb. 3, the Alvarez brothers extorted $125,000 from a drug
organization for the safe passage of 5,000 pounds of marijuana through a
checkpoint, according to the indictment.

On March 4, the brothers had a phone conversation with an undercover
federal agent posing as a drug trafficker who wanted to ship cocaine and
marijuana. He was guaranteed safe passage through the Highway 359
checkpoint for a fee, the indictment states.

Then Juan Alvarez, who was working at a checkpoint March 15, allegedly
allowed two vehicles loaded with the narcotics to pass through without
inspection.

If convicted, they face 10 years to life in a federal prison and forfeiture
of money and any property obtained through the shipments.

Lee Bargerhuff, deputy chief patrol agent of the patrol's Laredo Sector,
said if Alvarez is found guilty, the investigation would be an "important
contribution to keeping our agency to the highest level of integrity."

"It's important that the public knows that this is an individual, this is
not a systemic issue," he said.

Shelby's office announced Monday the guilty plea of Fabian Solis, 41, of
Alto Bonito, a former Customs agent who conspired to smuggle undocumented
immigrants through his inspection lane at international bridges in Roma,
Rio Grande City and Falcon Heights.

Lizandro Martinez, 43, a Customs agent at the Progreso International
Bridge, was arrested in November for allegedly letting truckloads of
marijuana through his lane. A court date is set for May, officials said.