A 35-year-old Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, Emanuel Celedon, stationed at the Port of Entry in Laredo, has been apprehended, as announced by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Celedon is scheduled for his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos at 9:40 a.m. The indictment, issued on Nov. 28, outlines charges including two counts of bribery and witnesses, as well as two counts of attempted importation of cocaine.

The charges assert that between Oct. 1-17, Celedon allegedly accepted U.S. currency in exchange for allowing an individual to transport a substance, believed to be several kilograms of cocaine, into the United States from Mexico through the Laredo Port of Entry without inspection. Another bribe for the same conduct is alleged to have taken place between Oct. 23-30.

If convicted, Celedon could face a maximum of 15 years in prison along with a potential $250,000 fine for the bribery charges. The attempted importation of cocaine charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, up to a maximum of 40 years in prison, and a possible $5 million fine.

The investigation leading to the arrest was conducted collaboratively by the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and CBP - Office of Professional Responsibility.