A USDA inspector has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge after allegedly accepting bribes from March 2019 to November 2021 to allow tick-infested and diseased cattle to enter the U.S.
USDA Lead Animal Health Technician Roberto Adams was arrested March 3 in Laredo, TX, for allowing the cattle to enter the country “without properly inspecting and/or quarantining them, in violation of his lawful duties as a lead animal health technician for the (USDA).”
If convicted, Adams faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and $250,000 in fines. Adams appeared before federal Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga on March 8, where he was remanded to custody until a $75,000 bond was posted. While a trial date has not yet been set, the final pretrial conference is set for May 3.
