Pubdate: Wed, 30 Apr 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
Author: Christopher Sherman, The Associated Press
Page: 3A
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption - United States)

SENTENCING STARTS FOR POLICE TURNED DRUG THIEVES

So Far, Prison Terms Are Up to 12 Years for Joint Task Force Members

McALLEN (AP) - Sometimes the heists were carefully choreographed ruses
designed not to raise suspicion. Other times they were brazen grabs.
Either way, the lawmen sentenced Tuesday in South Texas used their
badges to protect drugs or steal them for resale to other
traffickers.

U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced four of nine former law
enforcement officers to prison terms ranging from eight years to
nearly 12 years before recessing to continue with the others Wednesday
morning.

What started as a drug investigation in early 2011 eventually led
federal investigators to a local joint task force created to combat
the street-level drug trade. Instead, the so-called Panama Unit was
stealing money and drugs, including marijuana, cocaine,
methamphetamines and ecstasy.

Sometimes, members of the unit initiated the thefts, while other times
they were hired to do them. Mission police officer Jonathan Trevino,
son of the then Hidalgo County sheriff, decided which jobs they took
and how the proceeds were divided.

Former Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino has denied any knowledge of
the unit's illicit activities. But eventually federal authorities
nabbed several people close to him as their investigation widened to
include additional corruption. Lupe Trevino himself resigned earlier
this month and pleaded guilty to a federal money laundering charge
related to taking campaign funds from another drug trafficker.
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