Former U.S. Customs Officer Sentenced to 20 Years for Smuggling Cocaine

ATLANTA, GA — Ivan Van Beverhoudt, 45, a former U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, was sentenced on July 8, 2025, to 20 years in federal prison for importing and possessing with intent to distribute over 15 kilograms of cocaine.

Van Beverhoudt was convicted following a five-day jury trial in February 2025 on charges including conspiracy to import cocaine, importation of cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute.

According to court records, on January 10, 2020, Van Beverhoudt boarded a commercial flight from St. Thomas to Atlanta carrying 16 bricks of cocaine in his carry-on luggage. Traveling in his official capacity with a loaded CBP-issued firearm allowed him to bypass TSA screening in St. Thomas. Upon arrival at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, a CBP-trained narcotics K-9 alerted officers to his luggage, leading to the cocaine’s discovery.

U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg condemned Van Beverhoudt’s actions, stating, “Van Beverhoudt betrayed his badge by committing one of the very crimes he was entrusted to prevent—smuggling dangerous drugs into our country.”

Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank of Homeland Security Investigations added, “This case highlights the severe repercussions for law enforcement officers who abuse their positions of trust.”

Van Beverhoudt’s 20-year sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from CBP and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bethany L. Rupert, Bret R. Hobson, and Laurel B. Milam.