Federal Agents—Southern District of Texas

It’s been a bad week for four federal agents in the Southern District of Texas.

First, two former federal air marshals, who had pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and bribery charges, were sentenced to “substantial” prison terms earlier this week.^[1] Shawn Ray Nguyen and Burlie L. Sholar were sentenced to 87 months and 108 months in federal prison, respectively.^[2] Mr. Nguyen received a lower sentence as a “result of [District Judge Kenneth Hoyt’s] consideration of his cooperation with the United States.”^[3] They were arrested in February after a “cooperating witness had delivered 15 kilograms and $15,000 in cash to [Mr.] Nguyen’s home,” and it was determined that the men “had agreed to use their official positions as Federal Air Marshals to bypass airport security at Bush Intercontinental Airport and smuggle the cocaine onboard a flight bound for Las Vegas.”^[4]

Second, a Federal Pretrial Services Officer, Juan Cantu, pleaded guilty to charges of making false statements to federal agents “regarding the whereabouts of a convicted fugitive.”^[5] He was indicted in May 2006, and he admitted that “on April 21, 2005, he lied to a deputy United States Marshal and an FBI special agent, who were conducting an investigation to locate a fugitive, when he claimed to have no information about the fugitive nor his whereabouts.”^[6] In fact, there was substantial evidence that Mr. Cantu had extensive contact with the fugitive, which he failed to disclose to the investigating agents.^[7] His sentencing is scheduled for November 27, 2006.

Finally, a former Border Patrol agent, William John Ferrone, has been indicted with transporting illegal aliens for commercial advantage and financial gain.^[8] Mr. Ferrone was arrested on July 28, 2006, after eleven illegal aliens were allegedly found in his black GMC SUV.^[9] An anonymous caller tipped US Customs and Border Patrol agents to the allegation that a black SUV was seen picking up illegal aliens at the 35 mile marker of IH-35; this call was allegedly supported by a second anonymous caller who described the same car, and stated that he or she had seen it at around the 39 mile marker.^[10] Mr. Ferrone allegedly told the eleven individuals that he was going to take them to a place where they could get help, but he apparently “did not make any stops after picking them up off the interstate highway.”^[11]

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[1] US Attorney’s Office, Former Federal Air Marshals Sentenced to Prison, Aug. 29, 2006.
[2] Id.
[3] Id.
[4] Id.
[5] US Attorney’s Office, Federal Pretrial Services Officer Convicted of Making False Statements to Federal Officers, Aug. 29, 2006.
[6] Id.
[7] Id.
[8] US Attorney’s Office, Former Border Patrol Agent Indicted for Transporting Illegal Aliens, Aug. 29, 2006.
[9] Id.
[10] Id.
[11] Id.