A U.S. Border Patrol agent has been arrested on charges of taking bribes in exchange for providing information about sensor locations in the San Rafael Valley and Sonoita, as well as helping to smuggle narcotics from Patagonia.� 

Sandy Raynor, public affairs officer for the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona, said that on Oct. 30 Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Border Patrol Agent Yamilkar Fierros without incident. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Glenda E. Edmonds.� 

“The indictment alleges that on September 30, 2009, Fierros accepted a $1,000 payment in return for providing a purported drug trafficker with a law enforcement sensitive map of San Rafael Valley, which reflects roads, trails, landmarks, and terminology used by Border Patrol to counter drug traffickers,” said Raynor.�  “The indictment further alleges that on October 2, 2009, Fierros accepted a $3,000 payment in return for providing a purported drug trafficker with a list of 109 sensor locations in the Sonoita, Ariz. area.”� 

In addition, Raynor said that Fierros is charged with accepting a $1,000 payment on Oct. 23 in return for providing a purported drug trafficker with a list of 65 new sensor locations in the Sonoita area, as well as a $500 payment in return for agreeing to assist in the safe passage of a narcotics load from Patagonia to Tucson.� � 

If convicted, each count carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine or both.�