https://www.fox26houston.com/news/texas-deportation-officer-laundering-drug-money

HOUSTON - A former Homeland Security officer from Texas has been sentenced to prison for profiting from illegal drug trafficking.

The former officer handled deportations for the department, and is said to have operated under the guise of his official capacity while committing the crimes.

Former DHS officer gets prison time

The sentence:

Christopher Washington Toral, 49, of Spring, pleaded guilty to laundering money on Feb. 27, 2025.

Toral was sentenced Tuesday to 70 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. He must also pay a $20,000 fine.

He was sentenced in Houston by U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison.

Deportation officer launders drug money

The backstory:

Toral used his badge and gun to protect what he believed to be cartel drug money, according to the release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas.

The former officer, who began working for DHS in 2008, spent a two-month period in 2023 transporting $700,000 in drug proceeds under the guise of official duties, the release says.

As part of the illegal operation, twice in one month, Toral agreed to take a $200,000 bag of cash from Dallas to Houston, believing it was drug money.

The following month, he made another trip with $300,000 from New Jersey to Houston, bypassing TSA by exploiting his DHS position.

Toral committed the crimes for cash payments, the release says.

What they're saying:

"When a sworn officer uses the badge to shield criminal activity, the damage extends far beyond a single crime; it strikes at the very foundation of public trust," said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. "Christopher Toral decided to put personal gain over public duty. Today’s sentencing is the result of a shared commitment by FBI Houston and DHS-Office of Inspector General (OIG) to root out corruption wherever it hides."

"Serving the public as a law enforcement officer demands the utmost integrity," said DHS Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D. "We, along with our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, remain resolute to ensure law enforcement officers who break the public’s trust are held accountable."

What's next:

Toral was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.