PHOENIX – Federal authorities are dropping charges against a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer accused of money laundering, computer fraud and bribery.
The Arizona Republic reported (http://bit.ly/1scKfEc) this week that the U.S. Attorney's Office for Arizona says the charges are no longer "provable at trial."
Prosecutors indicted Lauro Tobias last year on allegations he twice transported $100,000 in proceeds from drug sales from Las Vegas to Phoenix.
Tobias' attorney, Steven West, said Thursday that his client was the victim of entrapment and "manufactured" crimes.
According to court documents filed by West, undercover FBI investigators were looking into corruption at the Lukeville border crossing in 2010.
The charges against the 10-year veteran agent were dismissed with prejudice, effectively barring them from being filed again.
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Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com
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