Pubdate: Mon, 14 May 2001
Source: El Paso Times (TX)
Copyright: 2001 El Paso Times
Contact:  http://www.elpasotimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/829
Author: Diana Washington Valdez

EL PASO'S NEW DEA LEADER FOUGHT MOVE

The Drug Enforcement Administration's new chief in El Paso fought
against coming to the border city, but after three weeks, he's settled
into the job.

Sandalio "Sandy" Gonzalez was associate special agent in charge of the
DEA's Miami Field Division before coming to El Paso.

Before his move, he filed an unsuccessful court action to prevent his
transfer. He alleged that the transfer out of Florida was punishment for
exposing wrongdoing and discrimination within the DEA in that state.

DEA officials denied the allegations.

Although his litigation in Florida continues, Gonzalez said he's focused
on his duties in El Paso as the agency's new special agent in charge.

"I don't see a problem. My work here has nothing to do with the other
issues," he said. "I have been welcomed here, and I have not noticed any
negative feedback. If I really didn't want to come here, I would have
put in for my retirement. I'm a professional, and I expect my staff to
be the same way."

He's unpacked his collection of hats -- souvenirs from past U.S. and
international drug investigations -- and has started to meet with other
drug-fighting officials in the region.

"I bring the perspective of someone who has extensive experience in
domestic and international cases," Gonzalez said as he arranged some of
the hats on a shelf at his office in the U.S. Justice Building. "I also
came from local law enforcement, and I believe that will help in
relationships with local police and sheriff departments."

Gonzalez, born in Cuba, has served in Costa Rica, Mexico and South
America.

His newest assignment puts him at the gateway of a major drug corridor
dominated by the Juarez drug cartel.

In his first three weeks in El Paso, Gonzalez attended a Border Patrol
station dedication, attended his first meeting with the West Texas High
Intensity Drug Trafficking Area board and served on a panel during a DEA
workshop against the legalization of drugs.

Not everyone has welcomed that work. Jerry Epstein, president of the
Drug Policy Forum of Texas, called information he saw on the Internet
from the workshop propaganda. He represents an organization that favors
reforming U.S. drug policy.

Gonzalez began his law-enforcement career as a deputy sheriff. He went
on to become a police patrolman in California and joined the DEA in
1978.

In the 1980s, he was involved in the investigation of the death of DEA
Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, who was slain in Mexico while
investigating drug traffickers.

Travis Kuykendall, a former DEA official and head of the West Texas High
Intensity Drug Trafficking Area office, said he knows Gonzalez will be a
good special agent in charge.

"Sandy's a good man and has a very good reputation and is respected
within the DEA," Kuykendall said. "We're glad to have him here and on
the HIDTA board of directors."

Gonzalez said he wants to build on the efforts of his predecessor, Bobby
Castillo, who was transferred to the DEA's division office in Denver.

"This is the newest division-level office of the DEA, and so there's
still work to do," Gonzalez said. "For example, we need to beef up the
staff and increase the number of investigators and support personnel."

A large percentage of the DEA's work in El Paso is to help prepare cases
for prosecution that involve Border Patrol drug seizures.

"The Border Patrol works very closely with the DEA in El Paso ... we
anticipate that will continue under (Gonzalez)," Border Patrol spokesman
Doug Mosier said.

The U.S. Customs Service and Federal Bureau of Investigation, which also
investigate drug cases, process their own cases for court.

The El Paso DEA's jurisdiction includes all of New Mexico and some of
West Texas. From 1998 to April 2001, the DEA in that area made 3,439
arrests, investigated 1,000 cases and seized 326,073 pounds of
marijuana, 18,858 pounds of cocaine, 34 pounds of heroin, 574 pounds of
methamphetamines and $30 million in currency and other assets.

Gonzalez said he also supports the DEA's Teens in Charge program in El
Paso, which supports youths who teach other youths about the dangers of
drugs. 

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Sidebar: 

Gonzalez File

Sandalio Gonzalez is the new special agent in charge of the Drug
Enforcement Administration's El Paso field division.

He was born in Cuba and began his law-enforcement career in 1972 as a
deputy sheriff for Los Angeles County. In 1973, he was a patrolman for
the Huntington Park Police Department. He joined the DEA in 1978 as a
special agent with the Los Angeles field division. He has a college
degree in criminal justice.

With the DEA, he has served in Costa Rica, Mexico City, Washington,
D.C., among other places.

He served in several complex U.S. and international drug investigations,
and served in various administrative and adviser positions. His oldest
son is a DEA special agent on the West Coast.
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