Pubdate: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 Source: San Antonio Express-News (TX) Copyright: 2000 San Antonio Express-News Contact: http://www.expressnews.com/ Forum: http://data.express-news.net:2080/eshare/server?action4 Author: Bonnie Pfister WEBB JURY SET TO HEAR DEFENSE LAREDO -- With just about one more day remaining for the prosecution to put forth its federal corruption case against five local men, testimony moved slowly Wednesday. Two government expert witnesses gave general descriptions of drug-trafficking patterns and the history of firearms, while the ex-secretary of one of the accused men quietly answered dozens of questions with the reply, "I don't know." The five men, all employed by or closely linked to the Webb County district attorney's office, are accused of soliciting $200,000 from criminal defendants during the mid-1990s. In return, prosecutors say, they lowered or reduced drug, weapon or drunken-driving charges in about 40 cases. Three defendants further are accused of violating the Hobbs Act, an obscure law that prohibits interfering with interstate commerce. The accusation stems from cases involving drug smuggling that prosecutors allege were fixed - -- for a fee -- by the defendants. To bolster the Hobbs charge, assistant U.S. attorneys called Treasury Department Agent Giovanni Gaudioso, a top smuggling investigator from Washington, D.C. Gaudioso testified that cocaine and marijuana are produced in Colombia and Mexico and must be transported over international boundaries to be illegally traded in the United States. Pills such as Valium, steroids and Rohypnol are prohibited from unauthorized import into the country, he said. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Martínez asked a firearms expert about five weapons the accused allegedly seized as part of their purported scam. Michael J. Cooney of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms told the jury where each weapon had been manufactured, based on a list of the guns' makes and model numbers. Cooney offered many details. The company that makes Beretta handguns, for example, traces its roots to 16th-century Italy, and North American Arms has moved its manufacturing facility from Provo, Utah, to Spanish Fort, Utah, and back to Provo. But, importantly, none of the guns in question were made in Texas, he testified. In other words, Martínez indicated, the weapons had been brought across state lines to get to Texas. Defense attorney Roger Rocha questioned Cooney about his expertise in interstate commerce. The witness conceded he knew little about it. U.S. District Judge George Kazen interjected: "He's not here to give a legal opinion about what interstate commerce is. That's for the jury to decide." As the trial inched into its 14th day, Kazen at times expressed exasperation. During a jury break, as the attorneys bickered about whether a particular document had been shared, the judge blurted, "Just bring the file!" Also testifying Wednesday was Patricia Carrera, who for a decade worked for bail bondsman Jesse Castañeda, one of the men accused in the federal case. Prosecutors say Castañeda used his close ties to the district attorney's office to solicit bribes from his clients on promises of lowering their charges. Government attorneys questioned Carrera about two lists of client names she drew up at her boss's request, annotated with comments such as "needs dismissed before indictment comes in." Carrera testified Castañeda dictated the lists, which then were given to defendants "Augie" and "Poncho." District attorney investigators Agustín Mendoza and Juan Alfonso Rodríguez are accused of downgrading charges in return for cash funneled through the bail bondsman. But Carrera said she did not know what the notes meant. Under cross-examination, however, Carrera said she never saw Castañeda pay bribes, nor did she, Mendoza or Rodríguez accept bribes. The prosecution is expected to rest its case this morning. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk