Two air marshals plead guilty to drug, bribery charges

[NorthernSun]

Two federal air marshals pleaded guilty today to drug and bribery charges and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, raising the possibility that other air marshals are under investigation.

Burlie Sholar III, 38, and Shawn Ray Nguyen, 32, pleaded guilty to charges accusing them of agreeing to accept $15,000 to use their positions as air marshals to bypass airport security and smuggle 15 pounds of cocaine on a flight to Las Vegas
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3767442.html

[anotherdrew]

1. so this was a sting right? maybe nearly entrapment?

was this the government's coke?

[MADem]

2. Well, it was their cooperating witness/informant, so probably yes

In the plea agreement, the two admit that they discussed accepting $15,000 from an FBI informant in exchange for attempting to smuggle 15 kilograms, or about 33 pounds, of cocaine past security at Bush Intercontinental Airport and onto a flight bound for Las Vegas.

Sholar made flight and hotel arrangements and agreed to meet Nguyen at Nguyen's house before making the smuggling attempt, according to the plea agreement.

A federal informant, who had recorded numerous conversations with Nguyen, delivered the cocaine to Nguyen's house shortly before the two were arrested, authorities said.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt told Sholar and Nguyen that they could receive sentences of 10 years to life in prison and a maximum fine of $4 million on the smuggling charge and 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on a bribery charge.

[gratuitous]

3. Remind me again why we "need" air marshals?

Because the prospect of being on a plane with some armed cocaine dealer holding a government badge doesn't really instill a sense of security in me. Maybe I'm just funny that way.

And let's face it; somebody or a bunch of somebodies jumps up on an airplane nowadays and announces that they're hijacking the plane. How many folks do you suppose are going to think that the only possible outcome for the situation is either to be flown into a building or dying in a crash? And after 150 passengers jump up, how many hijackers or groups of hijackers are going to be allowed to take over a plane? The air marshals just aren't necessary.

[saigon68]

4. MORE GOVERNMENT THUGS WITH THEIR SNOUTS IN THE PUBLIC TROUGH

SO IT IS WRITTEN SO IT SHALL BE DONE

[OKthatsIT]

5. takes ya right back to the 'good ole days'...

when every operative had a title and permission to bring drugs into the country for blackops funding...before security got so fussy.

[OKNancy]

6. kick

[Inland]

7. 2 Air Marshalls Plead Guilty to Smuggling (Cocaine)

(Still a few bugs in the system)

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/us/04brfs.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

TEXAS: 2 AIR MARSHALS PLEAD GUILTY TO SMUGGLING Shawn Ray Nguyen and Burlie L. Sholar III pleaded guilty to smuggling cocaine and illegal drug profits aboard commercial aircraft by using their credentials as federal air marshals to circumvent security measures. Mr. Nguyen, 38, and Mr. Scholar, 32, both of Houston, also admitted that they had accepted bribes to smuggle the cocaine. The two men were arrested in February after agents observed the delivery of 15 kilograms of cocaine and $15,000 in cash to Mr. Nguyen's residence, which was under surveillance. Both defendants face life imprisonment and millions of dollars in fines. STEVE BARNES (NYT)

[benburch]

8. Throw the book at them!

NOBODY is above the law.

[truthisfreedom]

9. whaaa.... WTF? these people are SWORN to protect us! or... is it a case

of air marshalls who know that 9-11 was a ruse, a ploy, a fake, a fraud... a distraction designed by the military-industrial complex, and we really have nothing to fear in the air at all? so they're concentrating on personal capitalism rather than focusing on terror?

[m0nkeyneck]

10. shouldn't be a surprise..

[Megahurtz]

11. Lol!

Typical bad cop thing.:eyes: