Today, the San Antonio Express News is reporting that for the past 2 years, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has been quietly investigating the activities of the Bexar County Sheriff’s Department — a law enforcement agency whose jurisdiction includes San Antonio, Texas, and the surrounding area. Apparently, the FBI has been snooping around there, down by the Alamo, for 2 years now and there’s no signs they’re stopping.
Looks like this may be a big deal….
Not only does the time involved in this FBI probe alone suggest that a lot of bad stuff has been discovered by the Feds, the media reports are suggesting it. The Express-News points to deputies living a lot larger than their county salaries would allow, with groups going on vacation to Las Vegas and the discovery of one deputy’s large land purchase (bet it’s a ranch) down in the Valley.
FBI Initially Looking Into One Thing, Discoveries Kept Coming According to Express-News Reports
Careful to reference several sources for their news reports – since the FBI won’t comment on an ongoing investigation – the Express News reveals that the FBI began checking into complaints about civil rights violations, and things grew from there. According to the sources, there are lots of complaints about the BCSD narcotics division — particularly, a group of 4 -5 “rogue cops” who are arresting folk without cause, stealing money and property, etc.
They may be doing bad things both on the job and off — there aren’t a lot of details yet. It is reported that deputies who are working second jobs as security guards at local apartment complexes have shaken down the tenants there. Wow. There are also complaints off-duty deputies have used threats that are backed by the fact that work for the Sheriff’s Dept. and that they’ve used excessive forces.
Who All Knows and Looks the Other Way Regarding the Rouge Cops?
Apparently, there are also FBI feelers checking out who all may know about these rouges within the department but are not coming forward to stop the wrongdoing. FBI agents are even going so far as to interview criminal defense attorneys practicing in the criminal courtrooms of the Bexar County Courthouse to see what they may know about these bad actors.
Looks Like the Pot is About to Boil Over ….
According to the Express-News, several Bexar County Sheriff’s Department deputies have already hired criminal defense lawyers to represent them — and we all know, you don’t start paying for a criminal lawyer until things are pretty far along.
This looks to be a major story that is just breaking today — hats off to Guillermo Contreras of the San Antonio Express News along with Staff Writer Eva Ruth Moravec for their work here.
Actually- I was on a jury in Dec 2008, a bexar county deputy apparently did a shakedown arrest of a kid(well he was 28 I think….)for DUI–
Implications are preeeety bad–
The dashboard cam on his car- “malfunctioned” 20 minutes after he came on duty (just enough time for him to get from his home to the place of arrest- around the corner from this kids house)
No back up nor area supervisor called to verify- (as we were told is normal when camera malfunctions)-
Roadside sobriety test performed by this lone deputy-
Breathalyzer at Bexar county comes back well above limit– but for some unexplained reason- the “data” for a couple of weeks before and after came back with errors (the expert breathalyzer tech who services the machines called an “unexplained” anamoly- but never attempted to invesigate why- nor explain to the jury how that happened… even though he did say that nothing like that had ever happened before or since…)
The lone deputy involved was what described by the prosecution as an “expert” DUI officer- had arrested 1,000’s and testified hundreds of times in court -
… but didn’t back up his arrest, although he knew his camera didnt work
… didn’t film the breathlyzer test at the jail,
… originally pulled over suspect for going 45 around a 90 degree rural corner road – with no speed gun test even admitted…(hey- that’s tough to do- try it..)
then, just add the facts that
1- non working cam on the deputy’s vehicle that particular day
2- anamoly in the reporting data of the breathalyzer test.
What I find disturbing is the a possible collusion between the gentlemen with the contract to service the few breathalyzers in the county (on the heels of the news of the Houston lady who was, I believe, indicted for collecting large contract amounts on testing without actually ever testing her machines– cuz don’t all those types go to the same conferences, etc….–,
and the lone deputy—
This was a jury trial- because, under texas law- the perp was going to jail- maybe for years– as this was a third offense – the first two being while he was a juvenile- which as we know means that he may well have been a designated driver taking his school mates home from a high school party- (I’ve therefore advised my kids to let their drunk friends try to drive themselves home- as it is not worth the risk should they – non-drinkers ( they actually are non-drinkers on religious grounds!!…)get pulled over for anything with them in the car…
I mean really– what’s a few dead innocent victims- as long as our under age kids aren’t driving a car that has the “scent” of alcohol…..