Imperial Valley News

San Diego, California - Luis Francisco Alarid, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, was arrested by members of the San Diego Border Corruption Task Force (BCTF) on Friday, May 16, 2008, at approximately 6:15pm. Alarid was arrested in the vicinity of Elrose and Dearborn in San Diego, California, without incident.

Alarid was arrested pursuant to a federal arrest warrant charging him with violation of the following: Title 21, United States Code (USC), Sections 952, 960, and 963, conspiracy to import a controlled substance and Title 18, USC, Section 371 and Title 8, USC, Section 1324, conspiracy to smuggle aliens.

Following his arrest by the San Diego BCTF, Alarid was booked into the Bureau of Prisons, Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) located at 808 Union Street, San Diego, California. Alarid will remain at MCC pending his expected initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge, on Monday, May 19, 2008. This case is being prosecuted by the San Diego U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The San Diego Border Corruption Task Force is a multi-agency task force whose mission is to combine the investigative expertise and resources of the participating federal agencies to aggressively pursue corruption matters along the U.S.-Mexico international border.

Agencies involved in this investigation include the following: DHS Customs and Border Protection Internal Affairs, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility, ICE Office of Investigations, San Diego United States Attorney’s Office, and the FBI.

An arrest itself is not evidence that the defendant committed the crimes charged.  The defendant is presumed innocent until the Government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.