Date: 02-18-2016

Case Style: United States of America v. Johnny G. Acosta

Case Number: 4:15-cr-00775-CKJ-DTF

Judge: Cindy K. Jorgenson

Court: United States District Court for the District of Arizona (Pima County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Wallace H. Kleindienst

Defendant's Attorney: Ed Laber

Description: Tucson, AZ - Former Customs and Border Protection Officer Sentenced To Eight Years for Receiving Bribes and Drug Trafficking

Johnny G. Acosta, 38, of Douglas, Ariz., was sentenced to eight years in prison. Acosta was previously employed as a United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer at the Douglas, Ariz. Port of Entry, where he began working in 2008. Acosta previously pleaded guilty to felony charges of conspiracy to import more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and accepting bribes as a public official.

U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo stated, “As a port of entry inspector, Acosta served at the front line of America’s effort to keep illicit drugs from flowing into our country. He broke the public trust by succumbing to greed. Corrupt officials like Acosta degrade the public’s faith that their government employees will faithfully execute the laws of the United States. It is a top priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to vigilantly protect the integrity of our government. The successful prosecution of Acosta was due to the hard work, perseverance, and ingenuity over the last three years of the Cochise Border Corruption Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility, CBP Internal Affairs, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Douglas Police Department.”

“Those in law enforcement capacities are supposed to uphold our nation’s laws, not willingly break them,” said acting special agent in charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of Professional Responsibility - Western Region, Martin Suarez. “It’s always difficult when the actions of a single officer stain the honor and integrity of law enforcement officers who choose to put their lives on the line in order to uphold the law. Guarding against illegal or unethical behavior is not an option; it’s an obligation we have to the people we serve.”

“This sentencing demonstrates the continued commitment of the FBI and its law enforcement partners to identify and root out corrupt public officials. The FBI takes all allegations of corruption seriously as we hold our public officials to the highest levels of integrity,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas G. Price.

Acosta, a lifelong resident of Douglas, spent his entire career with CBP at the Douglas Port of Entry. The investigation led to the indictment of Acosta and five other individuals on an array of drug-related charges. On October 20, 2015, Acosta was arrested by the FBI at the International Border in Nogales, Ariz., as he attempted to flee into Mexico to avoid prosecution.

Two of the co-defendants in the case have pleaded guilty to charges in connection with the conspiracy to import marijuana into the United States. One of those defendants, Ricardo Peralta-Cuevas, was previously sentenced to 37 months in prison. The other defendant is pending sentencing. A third defendant is scheduled to enter a guilty plea on February 22, 2016. The remaining two defendants in the Indictment remain fugitives.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to eight years in prison

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