(Courtesy of USATXS-Public Affairs Atty)

25 Sentenced in Operation Prison Cell

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – 14 former Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) correction officers and 11 others have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions related to a large-scale racketeering case involving the McConnell Unit in Beeville, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson.

With the exception of Juan Ledezma, who was convicted following a two-day trial, 28 others pleaded guilty to varying counts of racketeering or other charges. U.S. District Judge Hayden Head, who accepted the guilty pleas and presided over the trial, handed down the sentences against 25 of those convicted from Tuesday through today. Four others will be sentenced at a later date.

Former McConnell Unit guards Stephanie Deming, 24, Lela Ysolde Hinojosa, 52, and Arturo Salas, 23, all of Beeville, Christy Nesloney, 27, of Cuero, James Randal Standlea, 25, of Mathis, Desiree Silguero, 43, of McAllen, Emmanuel Cotto, 32, of San Antonio, Megan Brook Morales, 24, of Bulverde, Lakeisha Jeanette Reid, 25, of Austin, Jaime Jorge Garza, 38, of Santa Elena, and Oscar Juraidini, 25, of Brownsville, were all convicted of one count of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), as was contract mental health professional Kimberly Koenig, 32, of Victoria. Nesloney was sentenced today to 28 months in federal prison, while Deming received 27 months, while Reid received a sentence of 24 months in federal prison, while Salas and Juraidini will each serve 22 months. Hinojosa and Morales each received 21-month terms of incarceration, while Garza will be in prison for 15 months. Silguero and Cotto will serve five months to be immediately followed by another five months on home confinement. Standlea will be on probation for three years. Just moments ago, Koenig received her sentence – three years of probation.

Other McConnell Unit Guards Jamar Tremayne Green 30, of Refugio, Casey Simmons, 25, of Kenedy, and Justin Leonard, 24, of Cypress, were convicted of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute ecstasy, marijuana and cocaine, respectively. Simmons was sentenced to three years of probation, while Green and Leonard will serve five months in prison plus five months of home confinement.

Seven of the 10 individuals considered “facilitators” in the case were also sentenced today. Yvonne Sandoval, 37, of Corpus Christi, Maria Fernanda Hidalgo, 32, of McAllen, and Lindsey Elaine Savage, 30, of Copperas Cove, were all convicted of RICO and received sentences of 18 months, 12 months plus one day, and 38 months, respectively. Melissa Lozano, 29, of San Antonio, was also convicted on the RICO count and will be sentenced Nov. 25, 2013. The six other facilitators pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. Juanita Beltran Mendez, 50, of Bishop, will be on probation for five years, while Nancy Star Onega, 27, and Donna Sorise, 57, both of Hialeah, Fla., and Maria Rose Rodriguez, 35, of Alamo, will serve sentences of 60, 71 and 66 months, respectively. Craig Owens, 29, of Kileen, and Karla Sanchez, 26, of Houston, will be sentenced Nov. 25, 2013.

The final four charged in the case – Aaron Trevino, 37, of Lockhart, Christopher Karl Owens, 33, of Killeen, Christopher Smith, 28, of Chester, and Ledezma, 40, of Brownsville – were considered “inmates” in the overall scheme and were at one time or another in TDCJ custody during the conspiracy. Trevino pleaded guilty to the RICO count and received a total of 198 months in federal prison, while Smith entered a plea to money laundering and received time served, approximately 10 months of incarceration. Ledezma, who was found guilty by a Corpus Christi federal jury of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana, will serve a total of 360 months in federal prison for the three counts of conviction. Christopher Owens will be sentenced in January 2014.

There are still two fugitives in the case and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests.

The arrests came as a result of a joint effort between TDCJ-Office of Inspector General and federal authorities to attempt to break the “culture of corruption” that permeated the McConnell Unit Prison during a period between 2005 to the present. State and federal authorities worked together in a determined effort to disrupt and dismantle the violent criminal gangs who were profiting through the corruption of guards at the prison.

Correction officers assisted prisoners incarcerated in the TDCJ McConnell Unit Prison in Beeville by smuggling cellular telephones and drugs into the prison system. The drugs and phones were then sold inside the prison to other inmates. The phones were used by inmates to assist in their coordination of criminal activities outside the prison.

During Ledezma’s trial, the jury heard testimony that Ledezma acted as an intermediary between drug traffickers in south Texas and Mexico. He had connections to drug suppliers and, utilizing the illegally smuggled cell phones, coordinated with other prisoners to organize drug deals inside and outside the prison. Jurors heard that prisoners had made phone calls to Ledezma while in the McConnell Unit. In these calls, Ledezma agreed to help arrange for six pounds of methamphetamine to be purchased in Corpus Christi and distributed in Arkansas. The buyers of the methamphetamine were to pay more than $20,000 per pound of the drug.

The overall investigation was initiated in 2009 when several Aryan Circle Gang Members were apprehended attempting to transport stolen vehicles from Corpus Christi to Brownsville. The vehicles were destined to be smuggled across the border and sold to Mexico Cartel members. The operation was coordinated by inmates incarcerated at the McConnell Unit through the use of the illegal cell phones.

A subsequent investigation led to a December 2010 federal indictment charging 14 alleged members and associates of the Raza Unida Street and Prison Gang with committing violent acts to support racketeering (VICAR). These violent acts included home invasions, shootings and conspiracy to commit murder. During the course of the investigation, agents and officers seized approximately 13 pounds of crystal methamphetamine with an estimated street value of more than $300,000. Additionally, seven assault rifles, 14 pistols, five shotguns, five bullet proof vests and approximately 1,000 rounds of ammunition were seized from the gang. All were subsequently convicted, two of whom were sentenced to life imprisonment.

The overall case is the result of a four-year investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, TDCJ-Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Corpus Christi Police Department Gang and Organized Crime Units, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Bee County District Attorney’s office.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Patterson and Michael Hess.

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Angela Dodge
Public Affairs Officer

Effective 1 November 2013, in accordance with City Ordinance 3 1/2, Officers will not respond to any alarm notification from an alarm site that does not have a valid permit unless the alarm notification was a duress alarm, a hold-up alarm, a panic alarm, or reported to a 9-1-1 emergency telephone number by a person other than an alarm company.

The Corpus Christi City Ordinance Sec. 3½-2 states that an alarm permit is required. Annual alarm fees are $35 dollars for a residential alarm and $60 dollars for a commercial property. The alarm program contact number is 1-877-413-8308. You can visit the City of Corpus Christi Alarm Program online by clicking here. 

As Halloween is upon us we hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable day. Here are a few tips from the CDC website:

Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.

Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you. Always WALK and don’t run from house to house.

Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.

Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.

Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.

Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses. Don’t stop at dark houses. Never accept rides from strangers.

As for those who would rather plays tricks than receive treats, remember that damaging a person’s property can be considered “Criminal Mischief”. Don’t ruin your night by having to meet one of our Uniformed Officers. The costume they are wearing is real and so are the consequences.

Let’s hope everyone can enjoy the night.

CCPD HOSTS A WOMEN IN POLICING SEMINAR

WHEN: Saturday, October 26, 2013
TIME: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
LOCATION: Del Mar College West Campus
ET (Emerging Technologies) Building Room 105
4101 Old Brownsville Rd
Corpus Christi, Texas 78405

This presentation will cover several topics including information on the Corpus Christi Police Academy, women working in law enforcement, minimum standards, pay / benefits, and how to get started in a law enforcement career with the Corpus Christi Police Department.

Current female Officers from CCPD will be available for Q&A, videos will be available to view and applications will be taken on site.

At the end of the seminar, the entrance physical fitness test will be offered to those who would like to participate and tips on how to improve in physical fitness.

The CCPD will offer refreshments and child care will be provided.

For more information and to RSVP please call: 800-743-2620 OR 361-826-4071.

We will see you there.

Targeted Enforcement Sweeps Begin Next Thursday of Baldwin, Blake, Prescott, Tarleton and Surrounding Cross Streets

In keeping with our dedication to reduce the stray animal population and educate the community on responsible pet ownership, Corpus Christi Animal Care Services (CCACS) continues to utilize the Target Spay/Neuter Program. One step of this process is the enforcement stage. Enforcement sweeps will begin on 10/24/2013 for Baldwin, Blake, Prescott, Tarleton and surrounding streets.

Our targeted programs focus on the animals at the greatest risk of being put down in the shelter or abandoned on the street. We choose neighborhoods based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping of high impound and stray areas. GIS lets us see the community through real data and not through generalizations. This means greater efficiency while using limited resources.

In addition to targeted enforcement of specific areas, CCACS Animal Control Officers perform neighborhood stray sweeps each Thursday. On 10/17/2013, Animal Control Officers issued 22 citations and rescued 10 stray dogs from the below streets:

800 block Redmond St.

3900 block Bradford Dr.

400 block W. Clark

1300 block S. Alameda

200 block Torreon St.

900 block Mendoza St.

1400 and 1500 blocks Buenos Aires

CCACS is committed to providing accessible spay neuter resources, rescuing stray animals off the streets of Corpus Christi as-well-as educating and empowering people to care for their pets.

The following is the City Ordinance regarding “cell phone” use within Corpus Christi, Texas. Effective today Officers will issue warning citations for violations within this ordinance. On November 11th, 2013 Officers will begin issuing citations for violations.

Ordinance

Adding a new section 53-16 of the city code relating to restrictions on use of wireless communications while driving, creating an offense, providing for penalties, providing for severance, providing for publication, and providing for an effective date,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI:

SECTION 1. Chapter 53 of the City of Corpus Christi Code of Ordinances is amended by adding a new Section 53-16 to read:

Sec. 53-16. Use of wireless communications while driving.
A. Definitions
“Hands-free device” means speakerphone capability or a telephone attachment or other piece of equipment, regardless of whether permanently installed in the motor vehicle, that allows use of the wireless communication device without use of either of the operator’s hands.
“Park or Parked” shall mean for the operator to completely cease movement of a motor vehicle in a lawful manner and location. For purposes of this Section, “Parked” does not include or mean a vehicle stopped in a lane of traffic due to either a lawful traffic control device, or the conditions on the roadway, or traffic congestion patterns then existing.
“Wireless communication device” means a device that uses a commercial mobile service, as defined by 47 U.S.C. § 332.

B. An operator of a motor vehicle may not use a wireless communication device while operating a motor vehicle within the city limits.

C. This section does not apply to an operator of a motor vehicle using a wireless communications device:
1. while the vehicle is parked;
2. that is affixed to the vehicle and used as a global positioning or navigation system;
3. that is used with a hands-free device;
4. who is an operator of an authorized emergency vehicle while acting in an official capacity;
5. who is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission while operating a radio frequency device other than a wireless communication device; or
6. while driving a motor vehicle on private property.

C. It is an affirmative defense to prosecution of an offense under this section if a wireless
communications device is used to make an emergency call to:
(1) an emergency response service, including a rescue, emergency medical, or hazardous
material response service;
(2) a hospital;
(3) a fire department;
(4) a health clinic;
(5) a medical doctor’s office;
(6) an individual to administer first aid treatment; or
(7) a police department.

D. A violation of this Section is a Class C misdemeanor punishable as provided in Section 1-6 of
the Code of Ordinances.

E. The culpable mental state required by Section 6.02 of the Texas Penal Code is specifically
negated and dispensed with and a violation under this subsection is a strict liability offense.

F. To the extent that this section conflicts with the Texas Transportation Code, this section does
not apply.

SECTION 2. If for any reason any section paragraph subdivision clause phrase word or
provision of this ordinance shall be held invalid or unconstitutional by final judgment of a court
of competent jurisdiction it shall not affect any other section paragraph subdivision clause phrase
word or provision of this ordinance for it is the definite intent of this City Council that every
section paragraph subdivision clause phrase word or provision hereof be given full force and
effect for its purpose.

SECTION 3. Publication shall be made one time in the official publication of the City of
Corpus Christi as required by the City Charter of the City of Corpus Christi.

SECTION 4. Penalties are as provided in Section 1-6 of the Code of Ordinances.

SECTION 5. This ordinance takes effect immediately upon passage.