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In another high-profile case, visiting judge Paul McCollum ordered the
trial of Democratic party chairman Bobby Dean moved to Monahans.
Dean is charged with tampering with government records.
Miller was convicted in August of tampering with a government witness,
but District Judge Bob Parks granted his attorneys' motion in arrest of
judgment - effectively overturning the conviction.
Stickels said he will appeal that ruling to the Eighth Court of Appeals
in El Paso.
By PEGGY McCRACKEN
Staff Writer
PECOS, November 14, 1996 - Federal court jurors on Tuesday rejected a
Fort Stockton woman's explanation for having four illegal aliens and 225
pounds of marijuana in the back of her pickup on Aug. 21 and found her
and her boyfriend guilty as charged.
Dolores Bernal-Garcia and Efrain Urias-Valenzuela were charged with
conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute
marijuana.
Two of their co-defendants who had earlier pleaded guilty to marijuana
possession testified they backpacked the marijuana from Mexico across
the Rio Grande and waited for Bernal's pickup near the low-water
crossing.
A Border Patrol agent testified he stopped the pickup at a point on U.S.
Highway 385 south of Marathon after becoming suspicious of a number of
people in the back and the brake lights going on when he met it while
traveling south.
He said two backpacks were thrown out of the pickup and two men jumped
out as he turned around. Then the men jumped back in the pickup, and he
secured the marijuana.
As the Border Patrol unit approached the pickup, which had stopped about
200 yards down the highway, the four aliens jumped out and ran into the
brush. One headed north and eluded officers, while the other three were
captured.
Taking the stand in her own defense, Bernal claimed that she and Urias,
along with her mother and two small children, went from Fort Stockton to
La Linda with Urias driving. They arrived about 8 p.m. to meet her aunt,
who failed to show up.
Leaving La Linda about 9:30 p.m., Bernal drove her pickup because Urias
was drunk, she said. He rode in the back of the pickup and continued
drinking beer. At his request, she stopped twice alongside the road so
he could relieve himself.
Bernal said the transmission was causing trouble, and she was on her
knees looking underneath the pickup at the second stop when a man came
out of the brush and asked her for a ride.
He said he was a Mexican citizen illegally in the United States and was
hungry and thirsty, she said.
"I felt sorry for him," she said. "My mother was a wetback."
When she agreed to give him a ride, he said three other men were with
him, and all got into the back of the pickup with blankets Bernal said
she assumed contained clothing and bedding.
When Border Patrol agents stopped the pickup a short time later, they
found marijuana in the backpacks.
Bernal denied knowing the marijuana was present. When prosecutor Mark
Roomberg asked if she smelled it, she said she doesn't know what
marijuana smells like.
Under cross examination, Bernal admitted she had changed details of her
story since giving a statement to Border Patrol agents.
Her mother, Maria Bernal, gave a similar story, which prosecutor Glen
Jackson pointed out also differed from her statement to agents. One
difference was that she told agents that her daughter stopped to pick up
a man standing on the side of the road hitchhiking.
Claiming she lied to Border Patrol agents, Maria Bernal denied she did
it to help her daughter.
"I didn't know she was in any trouble," she said.
Steven Woolard of Fort Stockton and Anthony Foster of Alpine represented
the defendants.
Three of the backpackers, Jose Arturo Maldonado-Gonzalez, Jesus Gabriel
Hinostrosa-Lopez and Jesus Jordan-Villareal, pleaded guilty Monday to
possession with intent to distribute more than 50 kilograms of marijuana.
Others pleading guilty were Gerardo Jacquez-Cabello, escape from
Presidio County Jail on Aug. 21. Jacquez and Juan Manuel Zuniga-Urias
climbed out a skylight at the jail and were charged with aiding and
abetting each other to escape. Jacquez was captured shortly after the
escape, while Jacquez eluded officers and remains at large.
* Manuel Raul Solano-Velasco, possession with intent to distribute
marijuana on Sept. 8. He admitted driving a pickup into the Presidio
Port of Entry with 63 pounds of marijuana inside.
* Stacey Becker, Jose Medrano Jr. and Clifton Nevins, conspiracy to
possess with intent to distribute marijuana on Aug. 10. The three Kansas
residents were in a Dodge car in which agents at the Presidio Port of
Entry found marijuana.
* Raul Vela, making a false statement - that he was not carrying large
sums of money across the Rio Grande into Mexico, when he had $134,877 in
his vehicle on Aug. 7. A similar charge against Rosa Vela is to be
dismissed at sentencing.
Senior Judge Lucius Bunton issued warrants for Jesus Salvador Soto-Palma
and Roberto Ronquillo, who failed to appear for court.
He sentenced Luis Enrique Longoria-Jimenez to 18 months in prison and
two years supervised release for possession with intent to distribute
marijuana on June 28.
By MARI MALDONADO
Staff Writer
PECOS, November 14, 1996 - In an effort to expand the realm of the Toys
for Tots program, volunteers will head out on a door-to-door drive on
Nov. 23 to collect funds for the upcoming holiday season.
The money received, said Program Coordinator Sofia Baeza, will be used
to buy clothing items, "like, tennis shoes and jackets," for children
over the age of 10, which the local program has not offered in previous
years.
"Right now, we're needing volunteers to walk" and visit with local
residents door-to-door, Baeza said. "We'll be asking for $1 per
household or any change they have."
She added that Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Athletic Director Mike Belew has
offered the volunteer work of all high school football, basketball and
baseball players. Local members of the Explorers will also be
participating in the effort, Baeza said.
"We want to cover the whole city in one day," said Baeza, "so we'd like
any organizations or clubs, or any volunteers, to call," and offer their
help.
The program coordinator stressed that more adult helpers are currently
needed.
Local businesses have been generous, said Baeza, as she continues to
visit with other establishments in an effort to meet the program's goal
of raising $4,000.
"We've been working with the schools," in an effort to identify needy
children, Baeza said.
New or used toys, which will be distributed at Christmas time can be
deposited at containers set up at the Reeves County Sheriff's
Department, Reeves County Hospital or Pecos Police Department.
Baeza added that tags will be handed out to drive volunteers,
identifying them as Toys for Tots volunteers.
Currently, Baeza said she, Pam Bustillos, Sheriff Andy Gomez and Reeves
County Treasurer Linda Clark, continue the effort of the public service
program so that, "the underprivileged children of Reeves County can
share in the joy of receiving during the holidays."
For more information about the drive, program, volunteer work, "or even
(to submit) ideas," Baeza she can be reached at the Reeves County
Sheriff's Department at 445-4901.
FORT STOCKTON, Nov. 7, 1996 - The United Way of Fort Stockton and Pecos
County closed its month-long 1996 fundraising campaign on a dramatic
note when, on the last day of the campaign, it was announced that this
year's goal of $78,000 had been met and exceeded by more than $4,000.
Totals were expected to increase in the days ahead as the last of the
contributions were collected and turned in by campaign volunteers.
"After 13 years of the United Way, we once again did it," said 1996
Campaign Chairman Gorman Wiseman. "We went way over our goal,
$82,000-plus. And we're real happy with that."
FORT DAVIS, Nov. 7, 1996 - The public again will have the opportunity of
seeing Fort Davis National Historic Site by moonlight. On Saturday, Nov.
23, visitors will be able to step back into the 1880s as they are guided
to various buildings and locations around the fort. At this special
event, entitled "From Retreat to Tattoo," FDNHS volunteers and staff
members, dressed in period costumes, will re-enact scenes that might
have taken place at the fort when it was an active military post.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m., nine tours will be conducted at twenty minutes
intervals. The tours are free, but because each tour is limited to 22
participants, reservations are required. Parking will be in the regular
parking lot where visitors will be met and escorted across the entrance
bridge where the tours will begin.
Big Bend Sentinel
MARFA, Nov. 7, 1996 - Danny Dominguez was elected Presidio County
sheriff in a lopsided contest with a write-in candidate last Tuesday.
Dominguez, a Marfa Police sergeant and former Presidio based Presidio
County deputy sheriff, took 91 percent of the votes cast. Dominguez
received 1,466 votes and write-in candidate Ellen Kimble, a Marfa EMS
paramedic and reserve deputy sheriff, polled 151 votes. Sheriff Abe
Gonzalez was defeated by Dominguez in the March Democratic primary
election.
ALPINE, Nov. 7, 1996 - The foundation for the state's case against
Alvaro Hernandez was shattered Monday morning as Assistant District
Attorney dismissed the aggravated robbery case. According to the
defense, the Alpine Police Department made it easy to dismiss by not
being thorough in their investigation. "The Alpine Police Department
apparently failed to properly investigate the accusation and the eye
witnesses to the event were never interviewed," said Mike Barclay,
attorney for the defense. "My client believes that had it been anyone
but he there would not be such a rush to judgment," said Barclay.
PRESIDIO, Nov. 7, 1996 - David Simmons is the top contender for the
superintendent's position in Wimberly schools. Simmons said Wednesday
that a couple of months ago he was contracted by a consultant about the
Wimberly job opening, and after consulting with his family believed it
was something he should investigate. "Quite frankly, I didn't think I
would be the top candidate." After applying for the position, Simmons
was contacted for an interview. "I was one of six people interviewed out
of over 50 applicants.
OZONA, Nov. 7, 1996 - Ozona Country Club and its policy of not allowing
local non-members to play golf there came under attack by a South Texas
senator late last month and again last week. Sen. Eddie Lucio of
Brownsville, in Ozona Oct. 23, on a get-out-the Democratic-vote tour,
said in a press release he was "appalled" when a member of his
six-person group was asked to leave the course during a benefit golf
game that morning. The player, County Attorney Orlando DeHoyos, is not a
member of the club. The men were there with member Jesse Fierro Jr.
The Community Thanksgiving service will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, November
24, in the elementary school auditorium, according to information
received Tuesday morning. A choir and some high school band students
will bring special music for the thanksgiving service. Everyone in the
community who would is urged to sing in the choir. The practices will be
at 8:00 p.m. in the band hall on November 11 and November 18. Everyone
in the community is extended a special invitation to attend the special
Thanksgiving service.
MONAHANS, Nov. 7, 1996 - Shell Western E & P Inc. and AMOCO plan to
surrender their place in the West Texas Oil Patch to a down-sized,
out-sourced joint venture Shell and AMOCO executives call Altura Energy
Ltd. Altura will become the largest oil and gas producer in Texas and
the third largest in the United States. Under the joint venture plan, 90
jobs will be lost; 60 at AMOCO, 30 at Shell. At least five positions
will be eliminated at Shell's Sealy Smith Field No. 1 near the Sandhills
State Park in Ward County. Shell workers to be displaced list Monahans
as their home address.
PECOS, November 14, 1996 - With the holidays rapidly approaching,
Classic Cable is making an effort to make a child smile this Christmas
by offering a special proposal.
From now until Dec. 15, customers can install or upgrade their existing
cable service for only $9.95 plus the donation of a new toy valued at
$10 or more. These toys will then be donated to a local charity for
distribution to the less fortunate children in the communities.
Jennifer Tremblay, Public Relations Representative for the company
explained, "This program was done on a small scale last holiday season
and was a huge success."
"We were able to collect and donate a large number of toys in the
communities," said Tremblay. "This year we are doing the campaign
company wide in hopes to assist local charities in all the communities
we provide with services," she said.
These efforts not only provide gifts for the less fortunate but also
give customers the opportunity to receive the great value of cable
television in their home at a reduced rate.
Customers wishing to take advantage of this offer are encouraged to call
1-800-999-8876.
If organizations are needing toys for distribution they can call
Tremblay at 915-434-7620, extension 320.
"Classic Cable strives to play an important role in the communities they
provide with service and this campaign was designed with that in mind,"
said Tremblay.
PECOS, November 14, 1996 - Wes Sims, Sweetwater dairyman, said he is
concerned about the $4 per hundredweight drop in producer milk prices.
Sims is president of Texas Farmers Union, a general farm organization
based in Waco.
In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman, Sims said he
has witnessed with great concern almost 20 percent of Texas dairy farm
families being forced out of business because of low milk prices and
sharply increased feed costs in the past 12 months.
"Now, after a very short period of increased milk prices, we experience
the largest drop in history in cheese price on the National Cheese
Exchange to have occurred in a three-week period, which in turn
establishes the price of 90 per cent of all milk," Sims wrote to
Glickman.
The drop in milk prices totally wipes out the profit "and then some" for
most Texas producers, he said.
"Because of practices by large cheese companies and other large traders
~`trading against interest' and causing this huge drop in cheese price
and producer milk prices, we will witness another 20 percent of Texas
family dairy farmers forced out of business in a short period of time,"
Sims said.
The National Cheese Exchange, located in Green Bay, Wis., is a thinly
traded market. It operates for one-half hour on Fridays, and trading
accounts for just under one percent of the nation's cheese, which
establishes producer milk prices. Producers believe, and recent studies
indicate, that large traders have the ability to manipulate the NCE to
their advantage, said Sims.
Under current law, the only oversight of the NCE is by the board of the
exchange, which is comprised of and elected by traders who use the
exchange.
Sims is pleased with Glickman's announcement last week that he will
implement measures to improve the technique and scope of prices reported
nationwide and that the department will conduct an internal review of
USDA responsibility for oversight and regulation over the NCE.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Information contained in the Police Report is obtained
from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves County
Sheriff's Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, or other agencies;
and from interviews with officers of those agencies.
Henry Karl Jurgensen, of Midland, was arrested by a county deputy for
public intoxication on Oct. 3, 11:55 a.m., in the 1600 block of Western
Avenue.
Sheriff's deputies arrested Rolando Raul Hernandez, 19, for minor in
possession of an alcoholic beverage, possession of drug paraphernalia
and resisting arrest about 2 a.m., Oct. 5, in the rodeo arena parking
lot.
Ricardo Maldonado was cited for minor in possession.
On Oct. 6, 1:50 a.m., sheriff's deputies arrested Louie Franco, 19, 1800
W. Fifth, for public intoxication and Victor Romo, 17, 2327 Cactus, for
disorderly conduct.«FL»
Sheriff's deputies took into custody a male juvenile on Oct. 12 for
abusing aerosol paint after he was spotted in the alleyway near Eighth
and Mesquite streets.
Amy Salgado Rodriguez, 46, 2311 Sandia Rd., was arrested by sheriff's
deputies for probation revocation on an original charge of theft the
evening of Oct. 12.
The night of Oct. 13, sheriff's deputies transported a female juvenile
to the Reeves County Juvenile Detention Center. She was reportedly
abusing aerosol paint and picked up in the 800 block of East Fifth
Street.
Maria L. Ramirez reported to sheriff's deputies a burglary of a vehicle,
just after midnight, Oct. 20. She indicated her purse, containing $800
in cash and credit cards, was taken from her vehicle while parked in
the Saragosa Hall parking lot. Entry was gained through a broken window.
Russ Whitworth reported to a sheriff's deputy that sometime between 2:30
a.m. and 4 p.m. Oct. 21 someone entered his home, located on County Road
1216, 7.2 miles north of Pecos on U.S. 285, and took a grinder, two
rifles, a drill and VCR. Total value of the property taken was estimated
at $1,510.
On the morning of Oct. 25, Annabel Coleman reported to a Reeves County
deputy that an unknown party taken propane from her property, located at
Route 1, Box 192, in Balmorhea. The crime was classified as a theft over
$20 and under $200.
Jesse Lopez reported an act of criminal mischief to a county deputy. He
said someone broke the front windshield of his 1993 Chevrolet pickup.
The damage was estimated at $600 and the report was made on Oct. 13,
about 6:45 p.m.
On Oct. 18, about 4 p.m., James Davis, of Orla, reported to sheriff's
deputies that sometime between Oct. 16 and 1 p.m. on Oct. 17, someone
had closed the valves to more than one oil well, causing an oil spill
west of Orla, off of County Road 437.
Olga C. Baeza was arrested by police on a warrant for failing to display
a driver's license on Oct. 25, just before 11 p.m. Her age, address and
place of arrest were not indicated.
The night of Oct. 26, police picked a female juvenile at Montano's Body
Shop on West Third Street. She was reported as a runaway and transferred
to the Reeves County Juvenile Detention Center.
Brian K. Conners, whose age and address were not given, was arrested by
police for public intoxication on Oct. 26 at the Texaco on Interstate 20.
On Oct. 26, Frank Ontiveros, 24, of Saragosa, was arrested by sheriff's
deputies for public intoxication on Texas Highway 17, three miles south
of Verhalen.
On Nov. 2, sheriff's deputies broke up a fight in the Balmorhea High
School during the town's Halloween Carnival.
Betty Baeza, 27, of Balmorhea, and Sylvia Inriquez, 27, also of
Balmorhea, were arrested for disorderly conduct.
On Oct. 27, Julian Rodriguez was arrested by police for outstanding
fines. His age and address were not available.
The afternoon of Oct. 27, police arrested Jesus Armendariz for
outstanding fines. His age and address were not given.
Burglary of a habitation was reported by Faye Esparza, who resides at
2113 Country Club Dr. Police investigated the incident on Oct. 28. Other
details were not given.
Sofia Dominguez reported to police that sometime between 8:30 p.m., Oct.
28, and 3 p.m., Oct. 29, someone took a bicycle from her yard, located
at 609 S. Orange St. The children's bike was valued between $70 and $80.
Jaime Soto was arrested by police in the early hours of Oct. 29 for
public intoxication at the Flying J Truck Stop. His age and address were
not given.
Police took into a custody a female juvenile in the 400 block of
Mulberry Street for violating a probationary restriction on Oct. 29,
about 9:13 a.m.
Linda Jenkins Franklin turned herself in and was charged with forgery on
a municipal warrant on Oct. 29. Her age and address were not available.
Police arrested Jose R. Machuca on Oct. 29 after he turned himself in on
a warrant for aggravated assault and criminal trespass. His age and
address were not indicated.
On Oct. 30, police arrested Rodney Carrasco on a warrant for outstanding
fines. His age and address were not given.
Maria Garcia was arrested by police on Oct. 30 at Wal-Mart for theft
over $50 and under $500 after responding to a call of a shoplifter. Her
age and address were not given.
Manuel Jurado was arrested by police in the 500 block of Sycamore Street
on a warrant charging him with a Class B Misdemeanor on Oct. 31. Other
details of the charge were not give, nor were his age and address.
On Oct. 31, police arrested Robbie Garcia on a warrant for terroristic
threat. He was apprehended in the 1200 block of Park Street about 12:30
p.m. His age and address were indicated.
PECOS, Nov. 14, 1996 - High Wednesday 80, low last night 42. Tonight,
partly cloudy. Low around 50. South wind 10-20 mph. Friday, mostly
cloudy and breezy. High around 70. South to southwest wind 15-25 mph.
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