CHICAGO (WLS) — A Chicago police officer is accused of using his position to help buy and smuggle guns.

The officer is accused of buying guns in Monee and Dyer, Indiana on behalf of another man, who allegedly then smuggled them into Mexico, federal officials said.

An indictment names Chicago Police Officer Kevin Rodriguez and an accomplice Diego Valdez, charging the duo for conspiring to unlawfully purchase firearms that were ultimately smuggled into Mexico.

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A nine-page federal indictment unsealed Tuesday in federal court accuses Rodriguez of using his position as a Chicago police officer to purchase an AR-15 style assault rifle in Dyer, Indiana and a handgun in Monee, Illinois.

Prosecutors allege Rodriguez lied on federal paperwork, saying he was the actual buyer of the firearms, all in an effort to purchase guns which are not available to ordinary citizens under Illinois law.

Instead, prosecutors say Rodriguez purchased them for Valdez, an accomplice who allegedly identified the weapons he wanted and then paid Rodriguez to purchase them.

“There’s a reason why these guns are limited in circulation or for sale,” ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer said. “There’s a reason why the Chicago police officer can use his status only for appropriate purposes. He’s abusing that here. If it’s true, we don’t know ultimately, for what end, but if it’s for trafficking and guns, if it’s for gun smuggling to Mexico, that’s pretty serious thing.”

The indictment states Valdez sent Zelle transfers in the thousands of dollars to Rodriguez in return for purchasing the firearms on Valdez’s behalf. Two months after the transactions, Valdez is accused of smuggling the guns into Mexico

Meanwhile, a search of Rodriguez’s record as a Chicago cop shows he’s been the subject of at least nine misconduct complaints since joining the force in 2019, according to the Office of Inspector General. One of those complaints, stemming from improper pursuit of a suspect in 2022, resulted in a four-day suspension.

“You wish you had the benefit of hindsight here, and you wish the CPD had a chance to do something about it before he could do this, but it’s hard to make those calls in real time,” Soffer said. “And unfortunately, we’re seeing, again, if true, a conduct that’s more serious than anything I’m sure he’s been accused of before.”

In response to his indictment, the Chicago Police Department said Rodriguez was immediately placed on no-pay status, but that his police powers were suspended on July 3.

The statement from CPD also reads, “The Chicago Police Department has no tolerance for criminal actions by any of our members. The alleged actions of this one police officer do not represent the lifesaving work being done by our department.”

Both Rodriguez and Valdez pleaded not guilty and were released from custody pending their trials.

ABC7 reached out to attorney’s for both men. Attorneys for Rodriguez did not respond while Valdez’s representation declined to comment.

A status hearing is set for October 8.