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U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation


In Reply, Please Refer to Release No. 219 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, Illinois 60604

 

 

June 30, 2004

U.S. Customs Inspector Arrested in Bribery Scheme

Thomas J. Kneir, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced today the arrest of ROBERT D. BUTMAN, age 40, of Niles, Illinois. BUTMAN was arrested yesterday afternoon, without incident, at O'Hare International Airport by FBI Special Agents.

BUTMAN, who is a Senior Inspector with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service, was charged in a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bribery, which is a felony offense. According to the complaint, BUTMAN is alleged to have solicited cash payments from aliens who had entered the country legally, but had overstayed their visa making them subject to deportation. In exchange for these payments, it is alleged that BUTMAN would then arrange to have the aliens fraudulently reinstated, thereby insuring their continued stay in the United States.

Investigation into this matter, which is still ongoing, was conducted by the FBI, assisted by the Department of Homeland Security, (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) and the DuPage County Sheriff's Office.

IBUTMAN appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Geraldine Soat Brown this morning , at which time he was formally charged. BUTMAN was released on a $50,000 secured bond, pending his next scheduled court appearance. If convicted of the charge against him, BUTMAN faces a possible sentence of up to 5 years incarceration.

AlThe public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

EDITOR's NOTE: A copy of the complaint filed against BUTMAN is available from the Chicago FBI Press Office at (312) 786-2645.




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