UPDATE: Pierce posts bail, arraignment date set

A FBI spokesperson said late Wednesday that Cory Pierce posted $25,000 bail and his arraignment is set for March 12th.

A San Luis Obispo police officer was arrested Tuesday morning after being charged in a bribery scheme.

Authorities said Cory Pierce, 39, of Arroyo Grande, allegedly took cash and narcotics from two people.

In return, investigators say, Pierce provided others with narcotics for their own use, as well as fake drugs to sell to drug dealers.

Pierce was taken into custody without incident by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If convicted of this charge Pierce could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison.

Pierce was a police officer, but had been working undercover with the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force.

About two weeks ago, Sheriff Ian Parkinson received a tip that Pierce had been involved in a bribery scheme.

Investigators believe he’d been selling and trading drugs to at least two different people.

In exchange, he’s accused of giving those people inside information about police activities and how not to get caught.

Pierce was also accused of using his position to influence a probation officer to perform little or no supervision of a parolee.

He is also accused of pulling a gun on a drug dealer and stealing drugs. The person who reported Pierce also claims Pierce distributed drugs still in police evidence bags.

Parkinson called the FBI in to investigate. Agents found evidence to back up some of the accusations.

Parkinson says deputies volunteered to undergo drug testing this morning after learning about Pierce’s arrest.

Pierce has been with the San Luis Obispo Police Department since 2006.

Investigators are trying to determine just how long he’s been involved in illegal activity.