No One's Untouchable

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No One’s Untouchable

FBI: Bringing down corruption in the Valley

By Mary Nichols

The Federal Bureau of Investigations building in McAllen is a marvel. The satellite office stands tall with three floors and an American flag flying high next to the FBI’s logo. The inside is maintained spotless and heavily secured with metal detectors and card scans to access door entries. A picture of President Obama graces the waiting room, accompanied by a bulletin board of the FBI’s 10 most wanted fugitives. Work done by the bureau is nothing like what is portrayed in blockbuster movies, but the McAllen office does their fair share of taking down criminals.

The FBI’s important tasks have been to monitor any terrorist attacks and activity along the border. Over the years, the FBI has teamed up with local and federal organizations to rid the Valley of corruption, extortion, and violent crimes.

John A. Johnson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC), of the McAllen branch, says the FBI does their best to make the Valley a better place.

“We’re here to serve the community along with our partners (local and federal agencies),” he said. “We identify the threats that affect the public, and come up with investigations and different actions we can take to litigate some of that threat – situations like a public corruption, a gang case, kidnappings, home invasions, or car jacking.”

The FBI just celebrated 100 years as an agency last year. The bureau started out as a small organization, made up of 30 agents, within the Department of Justice in 1908. Today, it employs over 30,000 agents worldwide, with a budget of $7 billion a year. Johnson has oversight of the satellite offices in McAllen, Brownsville and Laredo, which includes 160 employees.

The FBI is the primary investigative agency for the Department of Justice. However, Johnson says they do a lot more, like investigating violations of federal criminal laws, and they are a domestic intelligence agency.

“We have a responsibility to understand the different threats in our respective domains. Since 9/11, we have evolved. It’s no longer acceptable to just identify a criminal act, identify the criminals and bring them to justice,” said Johnson. “We now have to engage in proactive, preventive intelligence work in order to identify threats as they emerge before they kill 3,000 people.”

The Corrupt

The FBI’s major focus may be national security and monitoring the Valley’s ports of entry along the border. However, when it comes to criminal cases their number one priority is local public official corruption.

Johnson says it’s an area they focus on and they are the only organization that seems to have the jurisdiction and resources to do so.

“We dedicate a lot of resources to it. If we don’t have honest, good public servants, nothing can be done,” he said. “If we have corrupt law enforcement officials, justice can’t be served. If independent school district members are corrupt, students don’t get the education or the proper facilities to get educated.”

Johnson says when public officials decide to go to the dark side, they try to extort money from criminal organizations or elicit bribes to help themselves or other criminals.

FBI investigators, in recent years, have uncovered local public officials that were taking bribes including former Mission City Manager Isauro Trevino and former Mission Parks Director Joe Villegas. According to Johnson, they had accepted about $75,000 in cash and gifts in exchange for contracts. At the plea hearing, Trevino admitted to receiving bribes to award various City of Mission projects, when he served in office from 2002 to 2005. Both Trevino and Villegas pled guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion in 2008. This type of conviction can carry a punishment of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case was a two-year investigation of which the FBI is very proud.

“We can work corruption cases in any department, at any level, federal, state or local,” said Johnson. “We have the tools, the know how, and we have the independence to do something about it. My job is not dependent on a politician here. We take everybody down, it doesn’t matter to us.”

One big case the FBI wasn’t afraid to take on involved bribery of several Pharr-San Juan-Alamo school board members. Former PSJA Superintendent Arturo Guajardo and trustees Raul Navarro, Rogelio Rodriguez and Evangelina De Leon were indicted on numerous counts of bribery, extortion or conspiracy. All these officials eventually pleaded guilty to some of the charges. Board members were charged with accepting gifts and money in exchange for favorable votes influencing PSJA-ISD contracts after the FBI investigation.

“When someone tells us they are untouchable, powerful or that we can’t bring them down, we love that. That’s the kind of case we want to have,” said Johnson. “Those are the kind of people who hurt the system a whole lot more than any violent criminal.”

Those are just some of the many corruption cases the FBI has worked on over the years in the RGV. They also have worked a variety of corruption cases involving corrupt Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents and sheriffs and constables. However, they don’t do it alone. They work in partnership with other agencies. For example, they have worked with the IRS Criminal Investigation Division and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office.

“My job and my employees, we are not swayed by fear to bring down officials. We thrive on that,” said Johnson. “Anytime we are able to identify and successfully prosecute a public official, it is a good day for everybody. We need to make these people an example, and get those corrupt people out of the system.”

Varied Responsibilities

The FBI also works kidnapping cases. With drug violence escalating in Mexico, the agency says kidnappings have risen. In fiscal year 2008, they had nine cases involving 11 kidnapping victims. In 2009, they have had 33 cases involving 40 victims, and most have been recovered. Out of the 40, only seven are still missing.

However, these kidnappings are solved over a long period of time, and in most cases victims are held for ransom by drug dealers.

“We have maybe six or seven people still missing. We have been tracking these kidnappings since 2004,” he said. “We are fairly successful at getting people back. Sometimes we negotiate, or someone else pays the money and people are released.”

A kidnapping case that is very close to Agent Johnson’s heart is the case involving four year-old Leslie Estefani Perez, who was abducted by a stranger in May of this year. It was a multi-agency effort involving the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s office, Texas Rangers and the Hidalgo Police Department. Together, they were able to find Leslie within 24 hours.

“It is something I will never forget. It was a miraculous achievement because, unfortunately, a lot of the time, when a child of tender years is abducted by a stranger there usually isn’t an outcome like that,” said Johnson. “It was an incredible moment when we learned we had her alive. It was one of the most fulfilling things I have been involved with in my entire career.”

The FBI has also had to deal with their fair share of cyber crimes and case involving child pornography. They also have taken on drug and human traffickers and counter espionage.

Agent Jorge Cisneros, a Valley native, has been working for the FBI for 22 years. He currently works as the border liaison officer agent who is in charge of negotiations with Mexico involving kidnappings and extortion. Cisneros has worked some memorable cases.

He worked the case of Manuel Noriega, famous drug dealer from Panama who was brought to the U.S. and tried on eight counts of drug trafficking, racketeering and money laundering in 1992. One case he remembers vividly was when a child was taken from a mother’s womb in 1992. The mother was abducted from Brownsville and taken to Matamoros where a C-section was performed, the newborn boy was stolen, and the mother killed. The FBI ended up getting the son back two years later.

“There is great diversity and we work different types of cases. White collar stuff, violent crimes, drugs, to terrorism,” said Cisneros. “There are certainly a lot of cases that we get involved with that sets us apart from other agencies.”

Breaking Stereotypes

There are several stereotypes that the agency would like to break. Johnson says many people assume that a case can be solved in an hour with hi-tech technology. However, investigations take an average of two years, with some variations, as in the case of the abduction of Leslie.

“Yes there is technology involved, but it’s all about people. Talking to people, getting the stories together, understanding what happened, and putting all the pieces together,” said Johnson. “It’s a people business. Technology is very helpful, but it’s not just that, not like on TV shows like CSI.”

Agent Cisneros also feels that many assume the FBI likes to take over cases and be the lone ranger. That is not the case. They partner and work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and with local agencies.

“We don’t go into the cases trying to take over. We get involved or assist, but we believe in working together,” he said. “It’s an agency and community effort.”

Dear Valley

Cisneros and Johnson both feel that the majority of all FBI employees love what they do and are honored to serve the public.

“If you take an FBI employee and peel the onion and get to the core, for the vast majority it’s not because of the money,” said Johnson. “I don’t think anybody is in the business of making money. It’s because we are able to make a difference. We get involved in cases that make an impact on the community. Good was able to beat evil, that’s why we are all here.”

Cisneros, who was born and raised in Brownsville, feels that Valley residents should get involved with the FBI, for a rewarding experience and the chance to make a difference in their hometown.

“If I can get into the FBI, anyone can apply and work hard to make it in the agency. When I met an agent and watched movies, I wanted to grow up and become one. I applied and did,” he said. “Being from the Valley gives us an added perspective to make the Valley a better place and thrive.”

“We’re here to serve. We are always eager for the public to report any type of criminal activity we might be interested in,” said Johnson. “They can come in personally or visit www.FBI.gov and send a complaint via the Internet. We have a responsibility to our community and the nation, something we, as an agency, are proud to deliver.”

Mission citizen award nominations now open

Nominations are now open for Mission’s Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, Mr. Mission and First Lady of Mission. The Progress Times, sponsor of the awards, will present the honorees at the annual banquet for the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce, to be held in October.

This is the fifth year the citizen awards presentations are to be made at the chamber banquet. Previously, the Progress Times coordinated the annual Mission Awards Showcase banquet where the awards were presented annually.

“The Chamber of Commerce has been most gracious in helping the community honor Mission’s finest citizens,” said Jim Brunson, publisher of the Progress Times.

“These awards are a longstanding tradition of recognizing the hard work and dedication of Mission’s leading citizens who have contributed greatly to the success and quality of life of the city,” said Brunson.

Nomination deadline is 5 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 30. Nominations may be submitted in person at the Progress Times office at 1217 N. Conway or by mail to Citizen Awards, c/o Progress Times, P.O. Box 399, Mission, Texas 78573. Nominations may also be submitted by email to awards@progresstimes.net or by fax to 956-585-2304.

Man and Woman of Year

Selection criteria for Man of the Year and Woman of the Year are as follows:

To be recognized for superior service either for a significant project or continuing broad service to the community in the past two to 10 years. This may be for work with one organization or for work in several different areas or organizations. The combined duration of service should span no less than two years.

May be for work in civic, church or community groups, or may be for exceptional professional or vocational performance if these labors have had significant impact on the citizens of Mission.

Must be a resident of Mission or work in Mission.

Service will be measured in terms of its impact on the entire community as a whole as well as to a particular organization.

Mr. Mission and First Lady

Selection criteria for Mr. Mission and First Lady of Mission are the following:

Must have provided long term service to Mission through a civic or church group or in a professional or vocational endeavor or through charitable or benevolent service to the community or a combination of these factors.

Service most be ongoing and cover a minimum of 11 years.

Length of service, character and integrity will be among considerations.

Value of service to the community in general is the primary factor.

Must live, work or have significant business interests in Mission.

Nomination Procedure

Nominations must include the nominee’s name, address and phone number as well as the qualifications of the individual.

Qualifications may include positions and offices held, number of years of service and a description of the service the individual has given. Also, list any honors the individual has received, whether civic, church, or professional. Include a description of what is particularly outstanding about this individual. Also, include the name and telephone number of the person submitting the nomination.

Nomination forms are available at the Progress Times office and on the newspaper’s Web site: www.progresstimes.net. Forms may be requested by fax: 956-585-2304 or email: awards@progresstimes.net.
Who Makes the Selections?

Honorees for the citizen awards are not chosen by the Progress Times nor the Mission Chamber of Commerce. Instead, citizen committees, composed of past recipients of each award, are appointed to review all nominations and make the final selections from those nominated. Any person who works or resides in Mission can submit a nomination.

Nominations were kept on file from last year’s selection process, and while those individuals’ names will be considered again this year, interested citizens are encouraged to submit updates or additional information regarding recent accomplishments of these individuals.

Last year’s award recipients were Luisa Ruiz, First Lady of Mission; Father Roy Snipes, Mr. Mission; Kathy Brown, Woman of the Year, and Bill Filut, Man of the Year.

The date for this year’s chamber banquet has not been announced, but is expected to be held early in October.