Air Marshals Charged With Drug Smuggling
Feb. 13, 2006 — -- Federal drug charges have been filed against two air marshals who allegedly used their positions to bypass airport security and smuggle cocaine on to a flight for $15,000.
Shawn Ray Nguyen, 38, and Burlie L. Sholar III, 32, both of Houston, were arrested by the Department of Homeland Security and FBI agents on Feb. 9 as they drove away together from Nguyen's home in northwest Houston after a cooperating witness delivered 15 kilograms of cocaine and $15,000 in cash to Nguyen's home.
According to the criminal complaint filed Feb. 11, Nguyen and Sholar agreed to use their official positions as federal air marshals to bypass airport security at Bush Intercontinental Airport and smuggle 15 kilograms of cocaine on a flight bound for Las Vegas in exchange for $15,000.
"We expect and demand that our law enforcement officials will themselves abide by the laws that they are sworn to uphold," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Don DeGabrielle said. "The abuse of the badge will not be tolerated."
Richard Skinner, the inspector general of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said the Federal Air Marshal Service is cooperating fully with the investigation.
"The alleged conduct of these two men is serious and disturbing," he said. "We remain committed to working with our internal and external partners to aggressively investigate all allegations of corruption to protect the integrity of the Department of Homeland Security personnel, programs and operations."
Ongoing Investigation
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaint, DHS began investigating Nguyen in late November 2005 after receiving a tip that he had been involved in selling narcotics.
On Dec. 21, 2005, in exchange for $10,000 in cash, Nguyen allegedly bypassed airport security with a package containing a total of $25,000 in narcotics proceeds and fraudulent government documents. The affidavit alleges the proceeds were distributed in two envelopes, one containing $15,000 and the other with $10,000. Nguyen is accused of bypassing airport security with the package, and then delivering it to the witness -- minus the envelope containing the $10,000.
During the course of additional meetings between the witness and Nguyen, the complaint alleges, Nguyen discussed smuggling larger loads of cocaine and the need to bring in others willing to assist with the larger loads.
Nguyen and Sholar are accused of conspiring to use their official positions to bypass airport security to smuggle a load of 15 kilograms of cocaine aboard a plane bound for Las Vegas in exchange for approximately $4,500 per kilogram. Sholar allegedly made the hotel and airline reservations for him and Nguyen.
As directed, the witness delivered the cocaine and $15,000 in "up-front money" to Nguyen's home by 9 a.m. on Feb. 9. According to the allegations, Sholar was observed arriving at Nguyen's residence at 3:37 p.m.
About an hour later, as they left in Sholar's truck, they were stopped by the Harris County Sheriff's office and taken into custody. Following his arrest, Sholar was found in possession of $5,000 in marked U.S. currency that the witness had previously been delivered to Nguyen, according to the criminal complaint. The 15 kilograms of cocaine were recovered from Nguyen's residence after the arrests, the complaint said.
The federal offense of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine carries a mandatory minimum punishment of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of life imprisonment, plus a $4 million fine.