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
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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.
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Realty Sentencing.pdf
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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 6th 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: 6th
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
-
30 -
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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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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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
- 30 -
Hot Checks Collections Press Release #2.pdf
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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
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.
- 30 -
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 3rd
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
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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 11th, 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.
-
30 -
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
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,
3rd floor
-
30 -
Operation Bounce Press Conference.pdf
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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.
- 30 -
Elderly Deceptive Business Seminar #1.pdf
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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 1st, 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.
- 30 -
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
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 26th, 2006 @ 1:30 PM
WHERE: Rio
Grande Council of Governments
1100 N. Stanton, 6th 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.
- 30 -
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
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.
-
30 -
Fan Drive Press Release.pdf
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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.
- 30 -
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, 5th floor of the County
Building in downtown El Paso. Please call if
you are interested in talking to him.
Hot Checks Warrant List.pdf
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
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