TUCSON, Ariz.– LAWFUEL – Press Release Service – Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico Police Officer Julio Cesar Lozano-Lopez, 29, of Naco, Sonora, Mexico was sentenced here June 8, 2006, by U.S. District Judge John M. Roll to time served. Lozano- Lopez has been in federal custody for 14 months and 21 days. Lozano-Lopez had pleaded guilty on March 22, 2006, to Misprision of a Felony.
U.S. Attorney Paul K. Charlton stated, “law enforcement officers on both sides of the border hold positions of public trust and should be held to the highest standards in both their professional and personal lives. We will continue to root out and vigorously prosecute those within the law enforcement ranks who violate the public trust.”
In his written plea agreement, Lozano-Lopez admitted to chauffeuring his co-defendant, Sonoyta, Sonora, Mexico Police Chief Ramon Robles-Cota, into the United States on two occasions, knowing that the purpose of the trips was for Chief Robles-Cota to bribe a United States Border Patrol Agent.
The statement from the plea agreement reads as follows:
On February 17, 2005, and again on March 23, 2005, I drove my co-defendant from Mexico, into the United States, in the District of Arizona. While in the United States the first time, I learned that my co-defendant’s purpose was to meet with a United States Border Patrol regarding bribing the Border Patrol agent. I understand that if he were subpoenaed, my co-defendant would testify that he did not want me to know what was going on and did not include me in the negotiations. I knew it was illegal to bribe law enforcement officials, but I concealed the conduct by driving my co-defendant back into Mexico and then driving him back for the second meeting. I did not make known the scheme to some judge or other person in civil authority.
Robles-Cota’s case is set for trial before Judge Roll on August 15, 2006.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The prosecution is being handled by Mary Sue Feldmeier, Assistant U.S.
Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.
CASE NUMBER: CR-05-824-TUC-JMR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2006-095(Lozano-Lopez)
