A former Customs and Border Protection officer has copped to smuggling people and taking bribes to let drugs slide across the U.S.-Mexico border, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani released yesterday.
In a Texas two-step of justice, Emanuel Isac Celedon, the disgraced 36-year-old from Laredo, pleaded guilty to a quartet of charges for sneaking undocumented aliens across the Lincoln Juarez Port of Entry. He also admitted to bribery and attempted drug importation by accepting cash to turn a blind eye to sham cocaine shipments. Celedon's corrupt actions spiraled between September and November 2023, as, he used his CBP role to funnel illegal arrivals and narcotics while padding his pockets.
The probe into Celedon's conduct uncovered a crooked dance where he communicated his work assignments to criminal co-conspirators, ensuring a clear lane for their undocumented human cargo. Authorities also snagged Celedon with $1,980, which he confessed were profits from his human smuggling stint.
In a separate scandal, Celedon was wrapped up in a drug-running ruse while serving at his post in Laredo. He flagrantly sought out cartel members willing to pay for his "security services," helping them get what he believed were kilos of cocaine across the border. He pocketed a total of $6,000 after successfully letting the vehicles with fake drugs cross the POE. His sentencing could slam him with up to 70 years behind the bars and punch a hole in his wallet with hefty fines.
The wheels of justice are now set in motion as Celedon awaits his fate in custody. Judges Diana Saldana and Marina Garcia Marmolejo are expected to lay down the law at upcoming hearings.
The extensive operation to bring Celedon to book was a collaborative effort involving the DHS - Office of Inspector General, DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, and others aided by the Texas Department of Public Safety. The cases are now being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Day and Richard Bennett, with AUSA Brian Bajew managing the plea procedures.
The saga also ties into initiatives by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Joint Task Force Alpha, a program to cut down the menacing smuggling activities from Central America, as detailed on the Department of Justice website.
