Investigations

On November 3, 2011, Eric Hernandez, a former Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Motor Carrier Safety Specialist, was sentenced in U.S. District Court, Laredo, Texas, for accepting a bribe.   Mr. Hernandez was sentenced to serve six months imprisonment, six months home confinement and three years supervised release.  He was also ordered to complete 120 hours of community service and pay a $100 special assessment. 

Mr. Hernandez, a border inspector, sold a Level I Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) decal to the driver of a commercial motor vehicle knowing that the vehicle had not been inspected.  A CVSA decal is issued to commercial motor vehicles passing roadside or periodic inspections performed under the authority of any state government or the FMCSA.  The activity was reported to the Texas Department of Public Safety (Texas DPS) who initiated an investigation and obtained video footage capturing the incident.  Mr. Hernandez was subsequently arrested. 

Mr. Hernandez was removed from federal service by FMCSA.  This investigation was conducted with assistance from Texas DPS and FMCSA.