McAllen, Texas Criminal Defense, Divorce and DWI Lawyer Johnathan Ball

August 16, 2010

Hidalgo County Texas Sheriff’s Deputies Find Cocaine

Filed under: McAllen Criminal Defense,McAllen Texas Criminal Defense Attorney,McAllen Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , — Johnathan Ball @ 9:30 pm

Edinburg: Deputies find 42 pounds of cocaine
Comments 1
August 16, 2010 8:45 PM
NEAR WESLACO | ARMED ROBBERY

Sheriff’s deputies are looking for an illegal immigrant in connection with an aggravated robbery at a convenience store Sunday night.

Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputies responded an alarm to the Kwik-E Mart south of Mile 12 North along Farm-to-Market Road 1015 at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a department statement.

Upon arrival, the store’s clerk told deputies she had been held at gunpoint by a Hispanic man who fled south in a blue Chevrolet Trailblazer. The man took an undisclosed amount of cash, deputies said.

Deputies checked the SUV’s license plates, which led to a house at 3002 Clifford St., near the intersection of Mile 9 1/2 North and Mile 6 1/2 West.

Patrol and linebacker deputies caught up to the Trailblazer as it approached the house. A woman inside the SUV was detained, but the driver, a man, escaped.

The woman identified the driver as Leonardo Geronimo Zaleta, 28, who was deported in 2007 and 2008 after separate burglary arrests.

A tracking dog was unable to find Zaleta.

An arrest warrant for aggravated robbery has been issued for Zaleta. If arrested and convicted of aggravated robbery, Zaleta could spend up to life in prison and face up to a $10,000 fine.

Anyone who has seen Zaleta is urged to call Hidalgo County Crime Stoppers at (956) 668-8477.

EDINBURG | DRUG BUST

Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputies arrested two men allegedly found with cocaine on Sunday.

Investigators received a tip that a black Chevrolet Tahoe would be transporting the drugs Sunday afternoon in Edinburg, deputies said in a statement

A canine deputy unit pulled over a black Tahoe on traffic violations about 5 p.m. Sunday near Farm-to-Market Roads 1925 and 493.

Deputies attempted to arrest Juan Manuel Morales, who was driving the Tahoe, on undisclosed traffic violations. Gabriel Cedillo was a passenger in the vehicle.

The drug dog sniffed the SUV and 42 pounds of cocaine were found inside.

Both men were formally charged with possession of a controlled substance at an arraignment hearing Monday afternoon at the Hidalgo County Jail. Bond for Morales was set at $30,000. Cedillo received a $25,000 bond.

Because of the weight of the drugs, each man could spend up to life in prison and face up to a $100,000 fine upon conviction.

HIDALGO | FUGITIVES ARRESTED

Customs officers in Hidalgo arrested two fugitives last week who were wanted for allegedly committing an armed robbery.

Officers patrolling the Hidalgo International Bridge Saturday identified a Houston couple traveling into the United States as Luis Cruz, 27, and Crystal Salazar, 23 — two fugitives wanted by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for charges stemming from an armed robbery.

Cruz and Salazar — both U.S. citizens— were transferred to the Hidalgo Police Department. Both are pending extradition proceedings to Harris County.

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Monitor staff writers Jared Taylor and Ana Ley compiled this report.

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December 31, 2009

Hidalgo County District clerk arrested for alleged drunken driving

Filed under: McAllen Criminal Defense,McAllen Texas Criminal Defense Attorney,McAllen Texas DWI Lawyer,Texas Criminal Defense — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — Johnathan Ball @ 5:40 pm

District clerk arrested for alleged drunken driving

Comments 245 | Recommend 46

December 13, 2009 4:24 PM
Jennifer L. Berghom and Jeremy Roebuck
The Monitor

EDINBURG – Hidalgo County District Clerk Laura Hinojosa disputed allegations Sunday that she was driving while intoxicated when pulled over by a state trooper earlier that morning.

Authorities arrested the 43-year-old elected official after she failed multiple field sobriety checks during a traffic stop just after 1 a.m. near the intersection of North “I” and El Dora roads in San Juan, said Texas Department of Public Safety Spokesman Johnny Hernandez.

As of late Sunday afternoon, Hinojosa had been booked and released from the Hidalgo County jail, where she refused to take a Breathalyzer test.

“I honestly did not think I was not fit to drive or else I wouldn’t have,” she said, adding that she plans to fight the charge in court.

Hinojosa, the daughter of U.S. Rep Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, was first elected in 2006 to the position that oversees filings for all of the county’s state district courts.

She replaced former District Clerk Omar Guerrero, who faced a DWI arrest of his own in 2005. Those charges were later dropped after an Hidalgo County jury cleared him of unrelated charges stemming from a consensual sexual relationship he was accused of having with a minor.

Hinojosa launched her campaign for a second term in office earlier this month.

Driving while intoxicated is a Class B misdemeanor for a first-time offender. If convicted, she could face up to six months in the county jail and $2,000 in fines.

“It’s really just an awful situation,” Hinojosa said. “I humbly ask for the respect of my family’s privacy. I appreciate everybody’s support.”

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Jeremy Roebuck covers courts and general assignments for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4437.

Jennifer L. Berghom covers education and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4462.

 

Correction: An earlier version of this story contained an error. Hidalgo County District Clerk Laura Hinojosa oversees the county’s state district courts. The county clerk oversees the county’s courts-at-law. The online version of the story has been changed to reflect the correct information.

The Monitor strives to accurately report the news in Hidalgo County and the Rio Grande Valley. Please report any errors of fact to the reporter whose byline appears on the story.

October 16, 2009

Border Patrol makes six drug busts across Starr County

Filed under: McAllen Criminal Defense,McAllen Texas Criminal Defense Attorney — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , — Johnathan Ball @ 6:14 pm

Border Patrol makes six drug busts across Starr County

Comments 29 | Recommend 6

October 15, 2009 9:05 AM
Jared Taylor
The Monitor

ESCOBARES | DRUG BUST

U.S. Border Patrol agents said they encountered two pickup trucks Tuesday night traveling north together from the Rio Grande near Escobares. As the agents tried to stop the pickups, the lead truck, a pewter Chevrolet, accelerated north. The black Ford F-150 that was tailing the truck made a U-turn, agents said.

Minutes later, agents found the F-150 abandoned behind a nearby business. The truck was filled with 923 pounds of marijuana. The Chevrolet pickup truck escaped. The drugs have a street value of $738,400.

LA CASITA | DRUG BUST

U.S. Border Patrol agents seized nearly a ton of marijuana during a Tuesday morning chase near La Casita, according to an agency statement.

Agents used a spike strip to stop a truck. The truck’s driver bailed out into the nearby brush and managed to evade agents, who found 1,849 pounds of marijuana with the pickup truck. The drugs have a street value of more than $1.4 million.

GARCENO | DRUG BUST

U.S. Border Patrol agents working here Monday morning said they saw several people carrying bundles on their backs. As the group emerged from the brush, they began loading the bundles into a green 1994 Ford F-150 pickup truck that arrived at the area.

The driver headed north toward U.S. Highway 83 but bailed out of the truck after agents tried to pull him over. The driver escaped into the nearby brush.

Agents counted 676 pounds of marijuana in the bed of the pickup truck. The drugs have a street value of $540,800.

RIO GRANDE CITY | DRUG BUST

U.S. Border Patrol agents patrolling south of Rio Grande City on Monday evening said they saw five people climb out of the Rio Grande with bundles strapped to their backs. The group continued north until agents confronted them. The smugglers dropped their packs and took off into the nearby brush, evading arrest.

Agents rounded up and seized the abandoned 388 pounds of marijuana. The drugs have a street value of $310,400.

FRONTON | DRUG BUST

U.S. Border Patrol agents found 489 pounds of marijuana here Sunday after they saw several people carrying bundles from the Rio Grande. Agents confronted the smugglers, who then dropped the drugs and swam across the river to Mexico. Agents said they also found a small aluminum boat loaded with marijuana. The drugs have a street value of $391,200.

LA GRULLA | DRUG BUST

U.S. Border Patrol agents seized 380 pounds of marijuana Saturday that was being transported from the general area of the Rio Grande. Agents conducting a traffic stop found the drugs inside the rear passenger seat area. The drugs have a street value of $304,000.

October 11, 2009

Weslaco police union to host women’s self-defense class

Filed under: McAllen Criminal Defense — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Johnathan Ball @ 6:06 pm
Ana Ley
The Monitor

WESLACO — It’s not every day a woman gets to beat up a police officer without getting herself arrested.

The Weslaco Municipal Police Association and the city’s Crime Stoppers program is set to host a two-hour self-defense class for women this week at the Weslaco Business Visitors Center, 301 W. Railroad. Weslaco police officer J.P. Rodriguez said the organization hopes to teach females the basics on staying safe from potential predators by offering them tips on being better aware of their surroundings and including them in hands-on training. Women will also be given suggestions on products available for protection, such as pepper spray, stun guns and firearms.

“They make a stun gun now that looks like a little lipstick canister,” Rodriguez said. “Some have up to 30,000 volts…it hurts really bad.”

Participants may also practice self-defense scenarios in which the student strikes or breaks free from an instructor wearing a fully padded red suit called the RedMan.

“It can be intimidating,” Rodriguez said. “But we need to protect our guy. He’s going to get hit in the groin, the face, elbow, arm.”

Although the class is not meant to be considered a thorough self-defense course, Rodriguez said he hopes women will acquire a better sense of self-preservation once the two hours are up.

“It would normally take days to teach people everything, but we have to try to condense it,” he said. “We’re playing it by ear right now.”

 

IF YOU GO: The self-defense course will take place Thursday at 6 p.m. and run for about two hours. Those interested in going are encouraged to contact the Weslaco Business Visitors Center at (956) 968-2102.

 

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Ana Ley covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4428.

September 26, 2009

Alton police chief charged with public lewdness

Filed under: McAllen Criminal Defense,McAllen Texas Criminal Defense Attorney — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — Johnathan Ball @ 11:02 pm
Jared Taylor
The Monitor

MISSION — Alton Police Chief Baldemar Flores turned himself in to authorities Monday morning after learning he was wanted for public lewdness.

The arrest came after Mission police received “several complaints” from store personnel of a suspicious vehicle parked behind Auto Zone and the H-E-B near the intersection of Conway Avenue and Griffin Parkway, police said.

Store employees told police that the same man and woman were having sex inside vehicles while parked “in plain view,” according to a Mission police statement.

On Friday, Mission police received a call that the suspicious vehicles were parked behind one of the stores. Police said they saw two vehicles leaving the area, with one of the drivers later identified as Flores.

Police stopped the woman driving the second vehicle, as well. Criminal charges against her are pending, police said.

Employees told police the same two people had been going to the same location, sometimes twice a week, since last year, police said.

Flores, 34, learned of his arrest warrant and turned himself in to Mission police at 9 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

Mission Municipal Judge Jonathan Wehrmeister charged Flores with one count of public lewdness and gave him a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.

Flores was booked at the Hidalgo County Jail late Monday morning and released shortly after noon, jail officials said.

Public lewdness is a class A misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of one year in a county jail and up to a $4,000 fine.

Flores, who is rumored to planning challenge Mission Mayor Norberto “Beto” Salinas in the mayoral election next year, could not be reached for comment late Monday afternoon.

Alton City Manager Jorge Arcaute said Flores has taken a leave of absence while the city conducts its own investigation into the allegations against the police chief. Assistant Police Chief Enrique Sotelo will serve in the interim, Arcaute said.

“We still need to do our own administrative inquiry before we rush to judgment,” Arcaute said.

Flores replaced former Alton police chief Jose Luis Vela, who was accused of fondling several officers in August 2007. Vela was fired from the department one month later.

In November 2008, a jury cleared Vela of sexual assault and theft charges. A judge dropped the rest of the former chief’s charges after he was acquitted.

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Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.

Palmview teacher, church volunteer, charged after having sex with student

Filed under: McAllen Criminal Defense,McAllen Texas Criminal Defense Attorney,McAllen Texas DWI Lawyer — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Johnathan Ball @ 3:20 pm
Jared Taylor
The Monitor

MISSION — Officers have arrested a former Palmview High School teacher and church volunteer who may have impregnated a 17-year-old student during encounters inside his pickup truck, police said.

Osiel Armando Muñoz turned in his resignation to school officials Tuesday afternoon after the student told a counselor that day she may be pregnant after having consensual, unprotected sex with him.

Mission police officers arrested the 26-year-old Muñoz at his home Thursday morning. He stood in Mission Municipal Court later that day to face one felony count of improper relationship between an educator and a student.

Muñoz and the student told police they had sex at least two times in his green 2001 GMC Sierra pickup truck in Mission, court documents in the case state.

The student told investigators she had confided in Muñoz about problems she had with an ex-boyfriend.

The teacher and student began exchanging text messages, which eventually led to the sexual relationship, court documents state.

The girl told police Muñoz picked her up at her Mission home without her parents’ knowledge at least two times to have sex. One encounter occurred in a neighborhood near the intersection of Two Mile Line and Mayberry Street, while the other took place along Los Ebanos Road.

Raul Gonzalez, police chief for La Joya schools, said the counselor notified his agency of the student’s claims about the affair. The school district’s police department turned the case over to Mission police after learning the sex acts actually took place inside Muñoz’s truck and off school property.

“What’s coming to him is his due process,” Gonzalez said of Muñoz.

Mission police spokesman Sgt. Jody Tittle said it remained unclear whether the girl was one of Muñoz’s students during the sexual affair.

The teacher also served as a youth volunteer at Journey Church, 1801 N. Conway Ave., Mission.

Vidal N. Muniz, lead pastor at Journey Church, said the student had participated in activities at the church with Muñoz “maybe once or twice.”

“This is a total surprise for us,” Muniz said.

Muniz said Muñoz would not continue to serve as a youth volunteer, but the church would offer him support.

“That’s exactly why we exist — for situations like this,” the pastor said. “We have a dysfunctional community and that’s why we exist.”

Mission Municipal Judge Jonathan Wehrmeister arraigned Muñoz on one count of improper relationship between an educator and a student. The second-degree felony charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $10,000 upon conviction.

As he stood in court handcuffed and shoeless, Muñoz said the improper relationship was his first run-in with the law. He said nothing when reporters asked questions as he was escorted from the court.

Wehrmeister set Muñoz’s bond at $200,000 for the charge. He was set to be transported to the Hidalgo County Jail late Thursday afternoon.

The case marks the third this year involving a La Joya school employee and a student.

In April, La Joya school district police arrested Javier Salazar, a teacher at Americo Paredes Elementary School in rural Palmview. He was charged with one count of indecency with a child after a 7-year-old girl alleged he fondled her during class. He has yet to be indicted, however.

And in February, police arrested former Clinton Elementary School computer lab proctor Armando Gutierrez on 10 counts of indecency with a child. An Hidalgo County jury acquitted him of the charges in August.

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Jared Taylor covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4439.

June 1, 2009

Border Patrol picks up a wheelbarrow full of drugs

Filed under: McAllen Criminal Defense,McAllen Texas Criminal Defense Attorney,Texas Criminal Defense — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Johnathan Ball @ 4:16 pm

Comments 6 | Recommend 2

June 1, 2009 – 12:44 PM
Jared Taylor
The Monitor

RIO GRANDE CITY — Maybe they should have tried harvesting the sorghum instead.

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested three men Thursday afternoon after they said they saw them pushing a wheelbarrow full of marijuana from the Rio Grande near La Grulla.

When the agents approached the men about 3:30 p.m. Thursday, they bailed on their load and fled into nearby brush, agents said in a statement. Agents searched the area and took three men into custody.

The 20 bricks of marijuana inside the wheelbarrow weighed about 223 pounds and carried an estimated value of $178,400, agents said. A photo of the wheelbarrow taken by agents at the scene shows the load standing beside a sorghum field.

The drugs were turned over to the Starr County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force.

To report suspicious activity, contact the Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley sector at 1-800-863-9382.

Police: Man tried to rape 13-year-old babysitter

Filed under: McAllen Criminal Defense,McAllen Texas Criminal Defense Attorney — Tags: , , , , , , , , , — Johnathan Ball @ 4:06 pm

Comments 27 | Recommend 3

May 30, 2009 – 2:53 PM
Ana Ley

McALLEN – Police arrested a man who allegedly tried to rape a 13-year-old girl who was babysitting his children.
The girl told police Edwin Auner Morales, 23, tried forcing himself on her at his home, on the 2000 block of West Business 83 late last month.
According to a police affidavit in the case, the girl was holding one of his wife’s babies when he approached her and told her that he wanted to have sex with her.
The girl told the man she did not want to have sex with him because he was married but Morales insisted, the record states.
Morales told the girl he was having marital problems and grabbed her by the arms while she was still carrying the child.
The victim said she kicked and pushed him away before she walked into his bedroom and placed the baby on the bed, according to the affidavit.
Morales then pushed her on the bed and got on top of her while the baby lay beside them.
The babysitter said she got up, picked the baby up from the bed and tried handing it to Morales to distract him.
Instead of taking the child, Morales insisted that he wanted to have sex with the girl, the record states.
The victim said she then kicked him on the legs and pushed him to the ground as she carried the infant. While he struggled to stand up, she placed the baby back on the bed and left the home.
On Wednesday, Morales confessed that he tried having sex with the girl against her will and he acknowledged that he knew she was a minor during the incident, the affidavit states.
As of Friday night, he remained at the Hidalgo County Jail in lieu of a $30,000 bond.
Morales was charged with attempted aggravated sexual assault, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a possible fine of $10,000.
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Ana Ley covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4428.

May 26, 2009

Border Patrol Getting Bigger Marijuana Busts In Hidalgo County

Filed under: McAllen Criminal Defense,McAllen Texas Criminal Defense Attorney,Texas Criminal Defense — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , — Johnathan Ball @ 2:51 pm

BP: Frequency, size of marijuana seizures keep climbing

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May 25, 2009 – 3:22 PM
Ana Ley

McALLEN — The frequency and size of marijuana seizures in the Rio Grande Valley continues to grow significantly compared to last year, the U.S. Border Patrol announced this week.

During the week of May 11 to May 17, for example, the agency’s Rio Grande Valley sector confiscated more than nine tons of marijuana compared to 3.8 tons during the same time period in 2008.

Agents conducted 60 seizures that week, according to a Border Patrol news release.

Officials attributed the 71 percent increase in narcotics seizures to increased manpower and a better infrastructure to prevent drug smuggling.

“Our ability to detect and apprehend is higher,” said Border Patrol spokesman John Lopez.

The Border Patrol seized more marijuana in the first six months of 2009 than in all of 2008, said Daniel Doty, a local Border Patrol spokesman.

Lopez said smugglers also appear to be smuggling larger quantities into the United States because of added patrols by the Mexican government.

“They’re taking larger risks,” Lopez said.

The largest seizure of the week occurred in Rio Grande City when agents found 3,883 pounds of marijuana inside an abandoned truck.

The driver of the truck had led agents on a chase away from the Rio Grande before ditching the vehicle and fleeing on foot.

Agents found more marijuana scattered throughout a nearby dilapidated shed.

Also last week, agents seized 1,454 pounds of marijuana from two separate vehicles after each was seen leaving the Rio Grande area.

In total, agents seized 18,159 pounds of marijuana with an estimated street value of about $14.5 million.

The drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The Rio Grande Valley sector has nine stations stretching from Brownsville to Corpus Christi.

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Ana Ley covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4428.

Large Marijuana Bust in Pharr, Texas

Filed under: McAllen Criminal Defense,McAllen Texas Criminal Defense Attorney,Texas Criminal Defense — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Johnathan Ball @ 2:46 pm

Police bust 1,600 pounds of marijuana at Pharr truck stop

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May 26, 2009 – 8:38 AM
Jared Taylor
The Monitor

PHARR — Police busted more than 1,600 pounds of marijuana at a truck stop here last weekend.

The bust happened Saturday afternoon at the Silver Spur Truck Stop, 2705 N. Cage Boulevard, after a police canine unit was patrolling the parking area, Pharr police said in a statement.

The dog alerted police of a strong narcotics odor emanating from a black 2001 Freightliner Tractor and a white 1998 Freuhauf trailer parked at the truck stop. The vehicle and trailer were unoccupied, police said.

Officers took the tractor trailer to the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge port of entry, where it was x-rayed and 96 bundles of marijuana weighing 1,677 pounds were discovered inside.

The drug bust remains under police investigation

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