County Attorney Press Releases

16-Year Old Female Found with 49 Pounds of Cocaine to be Prosecuted Under Special Court Proceeding

El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez announced today that he has received grand jury approval to seek a determinate sentence for a 16-year-old girl caught attempting to bring into the U.S. more than 49 pounds of cocaine.

            According to official documents, on August 28, 2006 an officer with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection assigned to the Ysleta Port of Entry found 49.2 pounds of cocaine in a hidden compartment of a white 1997 Chrysler Sebring after being alerted by a K-9 officer. The 16-year-old was enrolled as a student in the Ysleta School District at the time of her arrest, and has been held in custody at the Juvenile Probation Department since August 28.

            Instead of prosecuting the case through the "normal" juvenile process, County Attorney José Rodríguez decided to proceed under the Texas Determinate Sentencing Statute, to seek a tougher sentence against the juvenile.

Rodriguez explained that the Determinate Sentencing Statute is a state law that allows for the possibility of a more severe punishment for a juvenile adjudicated of certain types of serious crimes, including felony drug charges. Under the statue, the juvenile faces the possibility of a sentence of up to 40 years in juvenile detention facilities and in adult prison.

            Even though the juvenile had no prior criminal history, Rodríguez cited the excessively large amount of cocaine found in the juvenile's possession as the reason for prosecuting the case under the determinate sentencing statue. The street value of the cocaine is estimated between $280,000 and $700,000.

            "We are concerned about the drug cartels using teens to try to bring drugs into our community. For a number of years this has been a recurring problem in El Paso, especially because some teenagers believe nothing serious is going to happen to them if they ever get caught," said José Rodríguez.

            "Proceeding under Determinate Sentencing Statute in this case demonstrates that we will not tolerate these types of crimes, and should serve as a warning to those teens who might be tempted by the money being offered by the drug cartels", explained Rodríguez.

      - 30 -

County Attorney José Rodríguez will be available for interviews today. To make further arrangements please call Elhiu Dominguez at 546-2016.

 Determinate Sentencing Case Press Release.pdf

REALTY COMPANY FINED FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING

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El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez announced today the sentencing of a corporation accused of violating the State Illegal Dumping Statute on a piece of property in Northeast El Paso County.

 Through the coordinated efforts of the Special Investigations Unit of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Bill Walker Realty was charged with illegal dumping, in violation of the Texas Health and Safety Code, section 365.012.

 The offense occurred on or about March 25, 2004 when an employee of the YWCA on Texas Avenue found several 5-gallon containers filled with an unknown substance behind the YWCA property. The substance turned out to be industrial dyes. The dyes were traced back to one of the properties owned by Bill Walker Realty, who pled guilty to illegal dumping.    

 On September 6, 2006, Judge Alma Trejo, assessed Bill Walker Realty a $1,000.00 fine,  court costs, and restitution in the amount of $3,200 to the YWCA, the cost of legally disposing of the dyes.

“Illegal dumping is a serious environmental crime which we will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” said Rodríguez. “Illegal dumping, especially the dumping of industrial waste, is dangerous and bad for the environment because it contaminates the land. It is unfair for the victim to have to pay for the expensive legal disposal of unscrupulous illegal dumpers, looking to save a buck by illegally disposing of their waste.”

Rodríguez added that illegal dumping is an on-going problem in the county of El Paso, and he stressed that the County Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute such offenders. The penalty for illegal dumping ranges from a fine up to $10,000 for an individual, or up to 2 years in jail, or both. For an association or corporation, the fine is up to $10,000.

To report illegal dumping or other environmental crime, call your local law enforcement agency, the Environmental Hotline at 1-888-6EL-PASO, El Paso Police Dept. at 832-4400, or El Paso Sheriff’s Dept. at 546-2280.

 

                                                                                                                                                                    - 30 -

 Realty Sentencing.pdf

Environmental Summit to Discuss Ways to Keep El Paso Clean and Beautiful

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Every year hundreds of residents of El Paso participate in isolated clean up efforts organized by different community groups. Their very valuable effort could bring even better results if coordinated towards a common, community-wide environmental goal.

Defining that environmental goal, or plan, is just one of the purposes for the upcoming 6^th Annual Environmental Summit, "Tu Comunidad El Paso, Keep it Clean, Make us Proud."

The summit brings together government agencies, local companies, high school students, environmental experts, and El Paso residents, to discuss the different environmental problems in our community, to find possible solutions, and implement the solutions.
How to stop the illegal dumping of construction materials out on the desert? What final use can we give the hundreds of thousands used tires we dispose of every year in El Paso? Those are just some of the questions we hope to find answers for during the environmental summit.

Some of the participants in the summit will be Ed Archuleta, CEO for El Paso Water Utilities, who will speak about the El Paso / Ft. bliss Desalination Plant and TecH2O Water Resource Learning Center; Senator Elliot Shapleigh, who will lead the discussion in the community grass root group; Keep El Paso Beautiful staff will lead the discussion in the Youth grass root group; and Assistant County Attorney Cristina Viesca-Santos, who will lead the training on the enforcement and prevention of Environmental Crimes, among others.

The event is free and open to the public. Registration will begin promptly at 8:00 AM. Free lunch will be provided to first 350 individuals who RSVP calling the number 834-4970 or by e-mail to Gterraza@tceq.state.tx.us.     

WHAT:     6^th Annual Environmental Summit "Tu Comunidad El Paso, Keep it Clean, Make us Proud"

WHEN:     Friday September 8, 2006 from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

WHERE:  Ysleta Independent School District Cultural Center                        9600 Sims

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For more detailed information about the event, or for scheduling an on-camera interview, please call Pamela Aguirre, TCEQ Environmental Compliance Specialist, at (915) 834-4974, or Cristina Viesca-Santos at 546-2050 

 Environmental Summit Press Release.pdf

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HOT CHECK WRITERS ARRESTED DURING OPERATION “BOUNCE” ROUND UP

 On Saturday August 26 at 6 AM, officers from the El Paso Sheriff Department, the County Attorney's Office, the US Marshals Office, the Tax Assessor and County Constables initiated an arrest warrant round up, as part of Operation Bounce.

 In total, 11 teams went out in search of 104 individuals with outstanding arrest warrants for writing hot checks.

In 6 hours, the officers were able to detain 14 fugitives, but only 5 were booked into the County jail. The other nine individuals paid the outstanding amounts and fees, and were released immediately.

With today's round up, the County Attorney's Office was able to collect another $8,868 for local merchants. That amount, along with the approximately 125,000 that were collected during the amnesty period, bring the total collections of Operation Bounce to more than $133,000.

Operation Bounce is not over. During the next couple of weeks, officers from the County Attorney's Office will keep searching for individuals with outstanding arrest warrants for writing hot checks.       

 Wednesday August 9 the El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez, El Paso Sheriff Leo Samaniego, County Constables and members of several other law enforcement agencies announced the implementation of Operation "Bounce", a major initiative directed towards the prosecution and collection of money from hot check writers.

The operation will begin on Sunday, August 13 with the publication of the more than 4,500 names of individuals with theft by check outstanding warrants, representing almost $ 4 million dollars.

The publication of the list marks the start of a 2-week amnesty period during which the hot check writers may avoid arrest and criminal prosecution if they voluntarily pay off their hot-check balances at the El Paso County Courthouse.

During this period, the Hot Check payment windows at the County Attorney's Office (500 E. San Antonio, room 503) will remain open Monday thru Friday from 7 AM to 6 PM. Individuals must pay the exact amount due. Change is not available at the windows. Payments can be made by money order, cashiers checks, cash (exact amount only), or Visa and Master Card credit cards. No debit or check cards will be accepted. 

Operation "Bounce" will begin immediately after the end of the amnesty period, on August 26. Deputies from the Sheriff Office, the County Constables, and several other local law enforcement agencies will start a countywide arrest warrant round-up. The round-up will consist of officers going out and arresting hot-check writers at their homes or place of employment.

 During a similar operation conducted earlier this year with the El Paso Police Department, the County Attorney's Office recovered more than $180,000 for local business. Still it currently has almost five thousand outstanding hot check warrants that represent around $ 3.95 million dollars owed to local merchants.

"Although it has been decreasing over the years, theft by check is still a serious problem in our community. Local small businesses often face financial difficulties because of their losses from hot checks", said County Attorney José Rodríguez.

 "Operation Bounce is just one of several initiatives from our office directed towards decreasing this problem in our community. We are making it easier for merchants to report hot checks; we are giving them electronic access to their accounts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to find out about any payments made to their account. And we are getting ready to begin a "most wanted" type of program for hot check writers", explained Rodríguez.

For more information regarding hot check payments and balances; please contact the El Paso County Attorney's Office Hot Check Unit at 546-2051.

The complete and updated list of individuals with theft by check outstanding warrants has been posted in the El Paso County web site at: www.epcounty.com

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 Operation Bounce Press Release.pdf

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ONLY 2 DAYS LEFT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE HOT CHECK AMNESTY PERIOD

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El Paso County residents with outstanding hot check warrants have only 2 days left to pay to avoid arrest during the upcoming Operation "Bounce".   

The amnesty period for hot check writers began on August 14 and it is scheduled to end on Friday August 25 at 6 PM.      

 Since the beginning of the amnesty period, the El Paso County Attorney's Office has received $79,957 in payments from hot check writers, and we expect an even greater turnout during the last 2 days of the program. More than 60 % the amount was collected during the last 3 days.

Individuals with outstanding hot check warrants who pay during the amnesty period avoid arrest and may avoid prosecution, plus they will save hundreds of dollars in fees related to incarceration, such as court fees, attorney fees, and payment of bonds. However, they still have to pay a merchant fee and a collection fee. 

Individuals who do not pay their outstanding dues during the amnesty period will be targeted for arrest during a round up called "Operation Bounce." The operation will be conducted without prior notice anytime after the end of the amnesty period. Deputies from the Sheriff Office, the County Constables, the US Marshals Office, and several other local law enforcement agencies will go out at day or night arresting hot-check writers at their homes or places of employment.
Hot Check payment windows at the County Attorney's Office (500 E. San Antonio, room 503) will have special hours only until this Friday August 25, from 7 AM to 6 PM.

Individuals must pay the exact amount due. Change is not available at the windows. Payments can be made by money order, cashiers checks, cash (exact amount only), or Visa and Master Card credit cards. No debit or check cards will be accepted. 
For more information regarding hot check payments and balances; please contact the El Paso County Attorney's Office Hot Check Unit at 546-2051.
The complete and updated list of individuals with theft by check outstanding warrants has been posted in the El Paso County web site at: www.epcounty.com

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 Hot Checks Collections Press Release #2.pdf

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IMMIGRATION REFORM RESOLUTION TO BE UNVEILED TOMORROW

Local community leaders, among them El Paso Mayor John Cook, State Senator Eliot Shapleigh, State Representative Norma Chavez, County Attorney José Rodríguez, and Socorro Mayor Trini Lopez, will unveil and sign a resolution on the issue of immigration reform.

   The resolution is a policy statement drafted after testimony presented at today's "Mayor's Congreso on Immigration Reform".

The policy statement, along with testimony presented today at City Hall, will be officially included in the congressional record of the hearing that the House Judiciary Committee will conduct tomorrow at the Chamizal National Memorial.

WHO:       Local Community leaders

WHAT:     Unveiling of Immigration Reform Resolution

WHEN:     Thursday August 17, 2006 at 8:45 AM

WHERE:  Chamizal National Memorial 800 S. San Marcial St.

 Immigration resolution.pdf

NEW PROGRAM ALLOWS LOCAL MERCHANTS TO COLLECT FASTER FROM HOT CHECK WRITERS

 

During today's annual Hot Check Seminar, El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez unveiled today a new free service that will provide merchants with faster access to funds collected by this office from hot checks writers.

            The "On-line Inquiry" program will grant registered merchants access to their hot check accounts via internet, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing them to learn instantly about the latest payments received and any other activities registered under their accounts.

            Under the old system, merchants had to call the County Attorney's Office to find out if any payments had been made to their account. Often the merchants would find out about collections days or weeks after a payment had been received.

            With the new system, after registering on-line, the merchants get a password to access a computer program called ‘tracer' that allows them to access their financial records via the internet. The merchants can verify the number and amounts of the checks submitted for collection, and can find out in real time whenever a payment has been posted to their account.

            "The On-line Inquiry system not only makes it more convenient for merchants to regularly verify the status of their accounts, but also allows them for faster recovery on hot check funds collected," explained El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez.

             "We feel that by facilitating merchants with faster recovery on outstanding amounts, we are allowing them to re-invest the money back into their business, increasing the economic activity in our community", concluded Rodríguez.

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County Attorney Jose Rodriguez will be available for interviews immediately following his opening remarks during the hot checks seminar around 9:30 AM, on the 3^rd floor of the County Building, 500 E. San Antonio. For further arrangements, please call Elhiu Dominguez at 546-2016.

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 Hot Check On-Line Inquiry Press Release.pdf

FREE HOT CHECK SEMINAR

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Learn how to collect restitution and fees from hot check writers 

El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez will be offering a free seminar to explain to local merchants and the general public how they can take advantage of the free hot check collection service offered by the Hot Check Unit.

Writing a hot check is a crime that hurts many El Paso businesses, the local economy and the community in general. The El Paso County Attorney’s Office prosecutes these crimes and collects from the hot check writers restitution and a $30 fee that is given to the merchant. And even though many big companies in El Paso take advantage of the program, thousands of small businesses do not, in part because they don’t know the service is free.

The purpose of the seminar is to give details about the program and to answer any questions the public might have. At the event, the County Attorney’s Office will announce a new policy in certified mail and notice of dishonor letters that will save all merchants time and money. 

The Hot Check Unit will also introduce a new service called ‘on-line inquiry’ that will grant registered merchants access to their hot check accounts via internet, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, allowing them to learn instantly about the latest payments received and any other activities registered under their names.

WHAT:                    Hot Check Seminar

Hot Check Seminar Page #2

WHEN:                    Friday August 11^th, 2006

TIME:             8:30 AM

WHERE:        Commissioner’s Court Auditorium

                        County Courthouse Room 303

                        500 E. San Antonio

For more information on the seminar, or how to get a free hot check packet by mail, please call the Hot Check Department, at 546-2051.

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For those interested members of the media, County Attorney José Rodríguez will be available for interviews immediately following his opening remarks. For further arrangements, please call Elhiu Dominguez at 546-2016.

 Hot Checks Seminar.pdf

 

COUNTY TO TARGET HOT CHECK WRITERS THRU OPERATION “BOUNCE”

On Wednesday August 9 at 10 AM, El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez and Sheriff Leo Samaniego will join representatives of other law enforcement agencies to announce a major initiative, "Operation Bounce", to collect on money owed to El Paso businesses by hot check writers.

The initiative will include the publication of a list with thousands of names of individuals sought on outstanding hot check warrants, the announcement of an amnesty period and the implementation of an arrest warrant round up at the end of the grace period.

Additional information about the operation will be released at the scheduled press conference.

WHO:       County Attorney's Office and El Paso Sheriff's Office

WHAT:     Operation "BOUNCE" Press Conference

WHEN:     Wednesday August 9, 2006 at 10:00 AM

WHERE:  El Paso County Commissioner's Courtroom

500 E. San Antonio, 3^rd floor

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Operation Bounce Press Conference.pdf 

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SEMINAR TO TEACH SENIOR CITIZENS HOW TO AVOID BECOMING VICTIMS OF FRAUD

The El Paso County Attorney's Office will offer two free seminars to teach senior citizens about the new criminal trends affecting the elderly in our community and the precautions they should take to avoid becoming a victim of deceptive business practices. 

The seminars will include discussion about identity theft and tips on how to avoid problems if purchasing a used vehicle. Other topics will include landscaping home remodeling and car repair scams. 

The first seminar is scheduled for Thursday Aug. 10 at 3:00 PM at the Sun Plaza Complex, 233 Cortez in Central El Paso.

The second seminar will be offered on Wednesday Aug. 16 at 10:30 AM at the Southside Senior Citizen Center, 600 S. Ochoa in Downtown El Paso.

WHO:       County Attorney's Deceptive Business Practices Unit

WHAT:     Elderly Consumer Protection Seminar

WHEN:     Thursday August 10, 2006 at 3:00 PM

WHERE:  Sun Plaza Complex

233 Cortez (Central El Paso)

            The County Attorney's Office offers free consumer protection seminars to community senior centers and non-profit organizations. For more information please call Sylvia Perez at 546-2193 or write her at Sylvia.Perez@ca.epcounty.com.

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Elderly Deceptive Business Seminar #1.pdf 

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VOLUNTEERS TRAINED BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE HELP VICTIMS AT CRIME SCENES

The El Paso County Attorney's Office will be among several local agencies training new volunteers of the El Paso Police Department's Victim Services Response Team (VSRT). The training is intended to give volunteers the knowledge necessary to fulfill victims' needs, and includes legal education on crime victims' protection and the protective order system.

Jesus Rodriguez, chief of the Family Violence Unit at the County Attorney's Office, explained that proper training of VSRT volunteers is crucial because it guarantees victims will get proper access to programs and services made available by the state and the courts.

"By thoroughly training victim's advocates, our office fulfills its mission of protecting the most vulnerable members of our society", Rodriguez said.

WHO:       County Attorney's Office-Family Violence Unit

WHAT:     VSRT Volunteers Training

WHEN:     Tuesday August 1^st, 2006 at 7:45 PM

WHERE:  El Paso Police Headquarters

911 N. Raynor

News outlets interested in learning more about the El Paso Police Department's Victims Services Response Team need to contact Letty Trejo at 564-7368.

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For those interested members of the media, the El Paso Police Department has authorized photographers to record the training session and to follow a member of the VSRT to a crime scene (However there are certain restrictions, like not photographing the victims). For more information, you need to call Letty Trejo or the EPPD Public Information Officer Javier Sambrano at 564-7307. 

 Victim Services Training Press Release.pdf

Enforcement Officers to Fight Illegal Dumping in Rural Areas

Illegal dumping, water pollution and illegal burning are not only three of the biggest problems affecting rural areas of El Paso County, they are also environmental crimes that often go unreported and unpunished.

Fighting those crimes in the El Paso area has been difficult in the past because the small incorporated cities within our county have few code enforcement officers and lack the funds to train them properly.

The Solid Waste Advisory Committee, through the Rio Grande Council of Governments, has granted our region funds to hire and train code enforcement and peace officers on Texas environmental laws.

The purpose of the training is to give officers the necessary knowledge to pursue actively residents who break environmental laws and how to properly gather evidence to successfully prosecute in court these types of offenses.

The Environmental Prosecutor for the El Paso County Attorney's Office, Cristina Viesca-Santos will conduct a training session for nearly a dozen code and law enforcement officers from Anthony, Clint, Alpine and Marfa, Texas.

WHO:            County Attorney's Environmental Unit

WHAT:           Environmental Enforcement Training

WHEN:           Wednesday July 26^th, 2006 @ 1:30 PM

WHERE:         Rio Grande Council of Governments

                      1100 N. Stanton, 6^th Floor Conference Room 

For more information about the seminar, please call Evaristo Cruz at the Rio Grande Council of Governments, at 533-0998 ext. 138.

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Members of the media interested in searching for polluted areas of the desert need to contact the local law enforcement agencies directly, or make arrangements with some of the participants.

 Environmental Enforcement Training.pdf

Low Income Families in El Paso Still Need Relief from the Heat

El Paso Extreme Weather Task Force organizes fan drive and fundraiser. 

The high temperatures are back, as we expect to reach near triple digits today and tomorrow. Unfortunately the County Attorney's Elder Protection Unit is running low on fans to give relief to needy families.

Without the community's support we cannot help prevent more heat-related emergencies. That is why the County Attorney's Elder Protection Unit in collaboration with the El Paso Fire Department, the El Paso County Sheriff, the Area Agency on Aging and all members the El Paso Extreme Weather Task Force are organizing a fan drive and fundraiser this coming Friday.

 Please help us protect needy families from the heat by promoting the event. A small $10 donation is enough to buy a fan and could make the difference in saving a life!

What:   Fundraiser and Fan Drive

When: Friday, July 21, 2006 from 6:00 AM until 12:00 PM

Where: King's Aire

         1035 Kessler St.

Fan drive cont. page 2 

Why:   To collect money and fans to help needy families and individuals to beat the heat.

We are also urging El Pasoans that are 65 years of age or older needing a fan to call the County Attorney's Elder Protection Unit at 546-2239 or the Area Agency on Aging at 533-0998. 

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Fan Drive Press Release.pdf 

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Hot Checks Warrants Available Online

List contains nearly 5,000 individuals who face criminal charges

El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez announced today a new service that will allow the public to easily check the current county's hot checks warrants list. The list is available starting today from any computer with internet access by visiting the El Paso County web page: www.epcounty.com.

The Chief of the Criminal Unit, Kent Sutton said the publication of the warrants list is the first step towards increasing hot check collections in El Paso County.

"We believe the public display of the names of individuals with warrants might serve as a deterrent for hot checks writers, and will motivate some of them to come forward to pay any outstanding amounts" Kent Sutton said..

"We also think small business owners will find the list useful in determining whether or not they should take a check from an individual."

The Hot Check Unit of the El Paso County Attorney's Office offers merchants and individuals free collection services of the face amount of the hot check and an additional fee of $30 for the benefit of the payee; they also prosecute hot check writers in court.

 It is estimated that currently hot check writers owe local businesses more than $5 million dollars. Just during the first 9 months of fiscal year 2006, and thanks in part to hot check initiatives implemented along with the El Paso Police Department, the El Paso Hot Checks Warrants Cont. Page #2

Sheriff's Department and the local Constables, this office has collected more than $1.25 million dollars in restitution and fees to local merchants.

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For those interested members of the media, the Chief of the Hot Checks Unit Kent Sutton will be available for interviews later today at the County Attorney's Office, 5^th floor of the County Building in downtown El Paso. Please call if you are interested in talking to him.

 Hot Checks Warrant List.pdf

El Paso County Attorney Settles “Operation Linebacker” Lawsuit

Agreement Avoids Lengthy and Costly Litigation Process

El Paso County Attorney José Rodríguez announces that Commissioner's Court has approved an out of court settlement with local activist Carl Starr, to dismiss a civil lawsuit filed in federal court against the El Paso County.

The lawsuit filed on May 26 and amended on June 15 2006, alleged a violation of Starr's Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution arising from a traffic stop on a bus that was traveling on I-10 near Fabens and involving sheriff deputies.

The agreement in no way should be considered an admission of liability from either party and its only purpose is to avoid a costly litigation process.

The settlement on this case states that, in exchange for the release of all liability by the County, the El Paso Sheriff Office agrees to memorialize in writing its policy that prohibits Sheriff's Department Deputies from enforcing civil immigration law. 

As part of the settlement, the El Paso County Sheriff's Department agrees to provide its peace officers with training to help them understand the limits of their authority with regard to enforcement of civil immigration law. 

County Attorney José Rodríguez says the settlement is important because it would help to dissipate the concerns expressed by immigrant groups regarding activities conducted by sheriff officers as part of "Operation Linebacker".

"We want to ensure the community that Sheriff's deputies will not be enforcing civil immigration law; that is the duty of the federal government.  The Sheriff's Department will continue to focus its efforts on crime prevention. All citizens should feel confident in reporting crime without regard to their immigration status," said Rodríguez.

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 For those interested members of the media, First Assistant County Attorney Joanne Bernal will be available for interviews Tuesday morning between 10 and 11 at her office downtown. Please confirm if you are interested in talking to her or call to make further arrangements.

Operation Linebacker Settlement.pdf