Alleged Texas border inspection scandal put U.S. crops at risk

The shot from a .45-caliber handgun thundered through the faded house trailer in this border town, and a federal inspector fell dead.

Rafael Edmundo Melo Jr., 40, killed himself the day after appearing in federal court to face charges that he had allowed truckloads of vegetables and flowers infested with harmful pests to enter the United States from Mexico without proper fumigation.

While the death of the veteran plant inspector brought pain and sadness to his family, the conspiracy with which he and two other U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors were accused had the potential to cause further damage to the nation's agricultural industry.

The scheme, which went on at least three years and ended when the defendants were arrested in April, could have decimated dozens of Texas agricultural industries, government and industry officials say. Some experts believe the effects of the tainted shipments could still harm crops.

"It's a big deal," said Ray Prewett, president of Texas Citrus Mutual in McAllen and executive vice president of the Texas Vegetable Association.

Melo and the two other USDA inspectors were also charged with filing fraudulent overtime payments, claiming they oversaw fumigations of infested shipments that were conducted improperly or never took place. Charges were also brought against the owner of a Laredo pest control company accused of improperly billing Mexican exporters for fumigation services.

Since the charges were announced in April, two of the defendants have pleaded guilty and a third maintains his innocence. Melo was charged with 15 counts, according to the indictment, and faced a maximum of 75 years in prison.

Prewett noted that Mexico, which exports large amounts of limes and lemons, has confirmed that two insects known to introduce disease to citrus have been found in the country's groves. South Texas is the home of a thriving grapefruit and orange industry that generates $80 million annually for growers and packers.

"We find this to be disturbing, and we are concerned about what the implications are," Prewett said of the Laredo scheme. ''There are lots of other ways we can get these (pest) problems from Mexico, but it's a major concern when you have this kind of fraud in your inspection system."