Border Patrol Agent Admits Helping Stage Fake Drug Seizures, Sell Real Cocaine

MCALLEN, Texas (AP) - A U.S. Border Patrol agent in South Texas has pleaded guilty to working with drug traffickers to stage seizures of fake narcotics and redistributing the real cocaine for profit.

Eduardo Bazan Jr. faces up to five years in prison for his Friday guilty plea to making a false statement regarding the seizure. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has set sentencing of the 49-year-old former agent for Sept. 12 in McAllen.

Bazan admitted that he lied about a 2007 seizure near McAllen in which agents found 66 kilograms of cocaine. Instead, he said he was paid $8,000 to help with the staged drug seizure.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.