[South]Texas deputy pleads not guilty to demanding money from Mexicans in traffic stop

Caller-Times/AP ^ | August 2, 2007

[SwinneySwitch]

SAN ANTONIO — A sheriff's deputy accused of threatening Mexican motorists with detention if they didn't pay him off has pleaded not guilty to extortion.

Deputy Henry James Jr., 45, was arrested after he stopped two FBI agents late last month. The agents were posing as Mexican motorists after several drivers claimed they had been stopped by law enforcement and ordered to pay.

The agents, pulled over by James for disregarding a stop sign, recorded the deputy telling them that because they were Mexican, they had to pay him $150 or be detained until a judge could see them, according to a criminal complaint.

James pleaded not guilty Wednesday to extortion in federal court in Laredo.

Sheriff Victor Villarreal said in a statement that the department documented cases in which James had stopped vehicles but didn't call dispatchers. Four motorists had complained that James stopped them and asked for $120 to $300. They told authorities they paid him.

[SwinneySwitch]

He allegedly wrote warning tickets when they paid, and told them they could tear up the ticket after he left.

[TheBattman]

A sheriff's deputy accused of threatening Mexican motorists with detention if they didn't pay him off

If he did this, maybe he received his training South of the border....

[Graybeard58]

If he's guilty (and he damn'd sure looks that way) throw the book at him.

[Scotsman will be Free]

If he’s guilty, he should be shot, all of his property seized and his family thrown out onto the street.
That should be the penalty for all crooked public officials.

[Graybeard58]

That should be the penalty for all crooked public officials.

A little harsh but that would be one way of thinning the herd.

[gaijin]

Not nice, but hey, if “immigrants” won’t adapt, then maybe some of us will ADAPT to THEM...!

[Polybius]

Not nice, but hey, if “immigrants” won’t adapt, then maybe some of us will ADAPT to THEM...!

Ummm ... The people stopped by this crooked cop were U.S. FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENTS.

[Roccus]

Musta thought he was a Federale.

[weegee]

“The agents were posing as Mexican motorists”

Don’t know if they were not hispanic but posing as hispanic males or if they were hispanic Americans posing as Mexican citizens. I’d wager they were hispanics posing as Mexicans.

[Dinsdale]

Looks like at least one cop is going to be looking for an honest job.

[rovenstinez]

Probably the cop learned after stopping some real Mexicans and they tried to offer money, as the custom goes here South of the Rio Bravo, and he caught on to an easy way to get extra money. Exactly, get tough, and nip this in the bud.

[SwinneySwitch]

ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.

[Polybius]

Don’t know if they were not hispanic but posing as hispanic males or if they were hispanic Americans posing as Mexican citizens. I’d wager they were hispanics posing as Mexicans.

As FBI agents, we know they were U.S. citizens and about as "assimilated" into the U.S. as you can get. It would be a safe bet that the FBI agents in question were of Hispanic descent in order to pose as Mexican citizens.

I'm just getting a little tired of having every U.S. citizen or legal U.S. resident of Hispanic descent lumped in with unassimilated illegal aliens by some posters on FR.

I was wondering how long it would take on this thread. It took five posts.

[SwinneySwitch]

They presented him with Mexican driver licenses.

[Polybius]

It took five posts .. Polybiu

Sorry. Make that six posts.

[SwinneySwitch]

I think he’ll be working at a Federal prison job for quite a while, Dinsdale.

[org.whodat]

If he did this, maybe he received his training South of the border....

I thought he was a retired Virginia cop.

[Liberty Valance]

Henry James Jr., 45, was arrested after he stopped two FBI agents late last month. The agents were posing as Mexican motorists after several drivers claimed they had been stopped by law enforcement and ordered to pay.

I thought this only happened 'across' the border. Henry James got some 'splainin' to do.