United States Attorney John M. Bales
Eastern District of Texas

PORT ARTHUR CUSTOMS AGENT INDICTED FOR BRIBERY

            BEAUMONT, TX – U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced today that a 39-year-old U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, assigned to Port Arthur, Texas has been indicted for bribery in the Eastern District of Texas.

            TYRUS KIDD, of Beaumont, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday Oct. 7, 2009, and charged with two counts of bribery, one count of accepting an illegal gratuity, and one count of making a false statement.  Kidd was arrested on Oct. 9, 2009, by Special Agents of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Internal Affairs, and the indictment was unsealed today by U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Giblin.

            According to the indictment, on April 30, 2009, May 20, 2009, and again on August 23, 2009, Kidd allegedly demanded and subsequently accepted illegal gratuities from the Captains of the Motor Vessel Valbruna and the Motor Vessel Chaconia, for conducting improper inspections of the vessels.  Finally, the indictment alleges that on August 24, 2009, Kidd made false statements to CBP in which he denied soliciting and accepting the illegal gratuities.

            If convicted, Kidd faces up to 15 years in federal prison.

            This case is being investigated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Internal Affairs, Houston Field Office, with assistance from the Coast Guard Investigative Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David H. Henderson, Jr.

            A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

back to top