Airport Traveler 'Violently' Kicked 25-Pound Beagle Named Freddie, Officials Say

The beagle named Freddie is supposed to sniff out illegal vegetables and other contraband at the airport.

But one traveler took it out on the animal, officials say.

They've accused the man of "violently" kicking the 25-pound beagle named "Freddie."

Now he's pleaded guilty, they say.

The man "pled guilty to federal charges Wednesday (June 25) after kicking a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture detector dog that alerted to undeclared agriculture products in his baggage at Washington Dulles International Airport on Tuesday," CBP wrote in a June 26 press release.

The agency included a photo of "Freddie" with the release.

Hamed Ramadan Bayoumy Aly Marie, 70, "pled guilty during an initial appearance in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia to harming animals used in law enforcement (18USC1368)," the release says.

"He was credited with time served, ordered to pay the veterinarian’s fee, and to immediately report to CBP for removal from the United States. Marie departed the United States on a flight to Egypt at 12:30 p.m. today," the release says.

CBP "agriculture detector dog Freddie" is a 5-year-old beagle.

He and his handler "were inspecting baggage from travelers who arrived from Cairo, Egypt when Freddie alerted to one of Marie’s suitcases. As the CBP canine handler started questioning Marie, he violently kicked Freddie with sufficient force to lift the 25-pound beagle off the ground," the release says.

CBP officers "immediately descended upon Marie, handcuffed him, and turned him over to Homeland Security Investigations agents for prosecution," the release says. "A veterinarian determined that Freddie suffered contusions to his right forward rib area."

CBP agriculture specialists "conducted a subsequent baggage examination of Marie’s luggage based on Freddie’s alert and discovered 55 pounds of beef meat, 44 pounds of rice, 15 pounds of eggplant, cucumbers, and bell peppers, two pounds of corn seeds, and a pound of herbs. All agriculture products were prohibited from entering the United States and seized," according to the release. 

“Being caught deliberately smuggling well over one hundred pounds of undeclared and prohibited agriculture products does not give one permission to violently assault a defenseless Customs and Border Protection beagle,” said Christine Waugh, CBP’s Area Port Director for the Area Port of Washington, D.C., in the release. 

“We rely heavily on our K9 partners and Freddie was just doing his job. Any malicious attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and CBP will continue to work with our investigating and prosecuting partners to deal swift and severe justice to perpetrators.”

Related: Thousands of American Airlines Passengers Hit With Delays Amid Major Outage