A former border officer has been sentenced to seven in years in federal prison for helping smuggle drugs and illegal immigrants into the United States.
Luis Francisco Alarid of Chula Vista was sentenced Friday in San Diego federal court. He was ordered to forfeit about $175,000 he took in bribes during his seven months as a Customs and Border Protection officer.
Authorities said Alarid acknowledged that last March he allowed a minivan loaded with more than 260 pounds of marijuana and four illegal immigrants to pass through the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
He was arrested in May by a corruption task force and pleaded guilty to last fall to conspiracy and bribery.
