[South Texas:]Hidalgo sheriff takes the stand in conspiracy trial

mySA.com ^ | August 2, 2013 | Aaron Nelsen

[SwinneySwitch]

McALLEN — The drug conspiracy trial of a former Hidalgo County sheriff's deputy has persistently turned attention to his one-time boss, Sheriff Lupe Treviño, who in a dramatic turn took the stand Friday morning to respond to allegations of illegal campaign fundraising tactics and how much he knew of his deputies' illicit activities.

Jorge Garza, a retired warrant officer accused of helping to steal drug loads from smugglers for resale, is the only former lawman to stand trial in a scandal that has brought down the sheriff's son and called into question the integrity of Treviño, who has cast himself as a model lawman in a region where many have fallen victim to corruption.

Another eight have pleaded guilty to federal charges, including several members of a now-defunct multidepartment, anti-narcotics task force called the Panama Unit.

Now in its fourth day, Garza's trial has increasingly raised questions about culture of the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Department that instilled unwavering loyalty to the sheriff and fear of his commanders.

A day after James Phil “J.P.” Flores, a former lawman involved in the case, testified about an intimidating office environment where employees were expected to raise money for the sheriff's various fundraising events, another former Hidalgo County Sheriff's Deputy Fabian Rodriguez, testified that you either played ball or face reprisals.

“(Joe Padilla) put fear in you,” Rodriguez testified about his former commander. “I'm fearing telling you this right now.”

Garza's defense attorney, Lilly Ann Gutierrez, subpoenaed several men implicated in the scandal, including Padilla and Charlie Vela, an investigator for the Hidalgo County District Attorney's Office who was promptly fired Thursday after invoking his 5th amendment right not to testify.

Undaunted, Gutierrez subpoenaed Treviño who agreed to testify.

“As an elected official I think it is the right of the people to know,” Treviño said. “I have nothing to hide.”

[BamaDi]

This is amazing......in the mid-90s I had testify against the sheriff of Hildalgo County......the one and only time I’ve every testified in court.....the pig was found guilty and sent to the federal prison camp at Eglin AFB....and now it’s happening again.....will the corruption in South TX ever end!!!!

[FAA]

“.....will the corruption in South TX ever end!!!!..”

Nope. Too much money. Too much opportunity. Too few people ever get caught or prosecuted for it. I expect the border law enforcement agencies are 50% or better corrupt.

Sure, they’ll still respond to robberies and write traffic tickets and so on. It’s just that they’ll also be lookin’ the other way when that big load of coke gets brought across the river. Make sure the wrong people don’t get any heat on them, etc.

[SwinneySwitch]

DemocRat Country.

[MinuteGal]

Talk about one picture being worth a thousand words!

That map speaks volumes...analysis reveals several revealing stories.

Thanks for posting it.

Leni

[BamaDi]

I had to testify in a trial in Laredo once......against a corrupt sheriff - was the worse day of my life - but he was found guilty and sent to prison....so maybe NOT the worse day...