Pubdate: Sat, 08 Feb 2014
Source: Dallas Morning News (TX)
Copyright: 2014 The Dallas Morning News, Inc.
Contact: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/send-a-letter/
Website: http://www.dallasnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/117

MCGRUFF THE LAWBREAKER

HOUSTON (AP) - A Houston man who once portrayed McGruff the Crime Dog
has shown his commitment to crime-fighting apparently wasn't very deep.

John Morales was sentenced this week to 16 years and three months in
federal prison on drug and weapons charges after police found more
than 1,000 marijuana plants and 27 weapons, including grenade
launchers, at two indoor farms.

Morales wore the McGruff costume for the Harris County Sheriff 's
Association in the late 1990s.

A real crime dog - the drug-sniffing variety - detected pot plants in
Morales' trunk after he was stopped for speeding in Galveston in 2011.
Authorities say officers found a clipboard with maps to the indoor
farms.

Defense attorney Ken Fesler II said Morales entered the drug trade to
help sick relatives.
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