County Attorney Press Releases

October 2009 - Posts

5th Annual Graffiti Wipeout Rod And Custom Car Show

The El Paso Adult Probation Department invites the community to participate in the annual "Graffiti Wipeout Rod and Custom Car Show." The yearly event allows us to collect funds for community projects while educating children and teens about graffiti and its consequences. This year, proceeds will be used to finance graffiti clean-up projects in our community.

This is a free event to the public. There will be classic cars and motorcycles on display. There will be food, live entertainment and carnival games, so please join us. This year the event will end with a cruise around Ascárate! County Attorney José R. Rodríguez is scheduled to deliver the opening remarks at 12:00 p.m.

The Graffiti Wipeout Program is part of the Adult Probation Department's Community Service Section. The main focus of our program is to serve our community and educate specifically our youth about Graffiti and its negative consequences.

For more information call Sergio Apodaca at (915) 726-0723

WHO:       Graffiti Wipeout Program

WHAT:     5th Annual Road and Custom Car Show

WHEN:     Saturday October 10, 2009 from 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.

WHERE:  Ascárate Park (6900 Delta Dr.)

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Clint Resident Sentenced For Illegally Dumping Trash At Railroad Yard

El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez today announced the sentencing of an East El Paso resident who pled guilty to violating the Texas Health and Safety Code by illegally dumping trash on private property in Clint, Texas.

21 year-old Francisco Hernández pled guilty to two counts of illegal dumping of more than 5 pounds but less than 500 pounds, in violation of the Texas Health and Safety Code § 365.012.

The offense was discovered on April 9, 2009, when Union Pacific Railroad Police Special Agent Victor Estrada was patrolling property near the Moon Road Crossing in east El Paso. Agent Estrada encountered some plastic bags containing household trash lying on the right-of-way at railroad property behind the 9800 block of Alameda.  Upon further investigation, he discovered that the waste came from a residence located at 9570 Grenada Way, in El Paso County. 

When confronted, Mr. Hernández admitted to dumping trash at the site. He said he had attempted to dispose of the waste at the City's landfill, but found it closed. The City of El Paso had to clean up the illegal dump site. 

On Monday October 5, 2009, County Criminal Court at Law # 1 (the Environmental Court) Judge Alma Trejo sentenced Francisco Hernández to 6 months deferred probation, assessed him a $750.00 fine, ordered him to pay court costs, and to complete 80 hours of community service at the Clint Landfill or some other type of community cleanup. 

"Illegal dumping is a serious environmental crime which affects health and quality of life," said El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez. "The illegal dumping of household trash continues throughout our community, despite efforts by the City of El Paso to make citizen collection stations available for extra household trash. Illegal dumping costs taxpayers thousands of dollars every year in investigation, prosecution, and clean-up costs, moneys that we could be spending on other worthwhile projects," Rodríguez concluded.

The penalty for illegal dumping ranges from a fine up to $10,000 for an individual, or up to 2 years  in jail, or both fine and incarceration.  For an association or corporation, the fine is up to $10,000.

To report illegal dumping or other environmental crime, call your local law enforcement agency:  911 if you see it happening; the Environmental Hotline at 1-888-6EL-PASO, El Paso Police Dept. at 832-4400, or El Paso Sheriff's Dept. at 546-2280.

The City's Citizen Collection Stations operate Tuesday - Saturday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Be sure to take your water bill and identification. They accept household hazardous waste, but not construction and demolition debris. The sites are located at:

  • § Northeast: 4501 Hondo Pass
  • § Westside: 121 Atlantic at Doniphan
  • § Central: 2492 Harrison at Alabama
  • § South: 4200 Delta
  • § Lower Valley 9000 Escobar at Zaragoza

            For more information contact El Paso County Attorney's Environmental Prosecutor Cristina Viesca-Santos at (915) 546-2050.

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Illegal Dumping Press Release.pdf

El Paso County Attorney Named Among The Top 25 Minority Lawyers In The State By Texas Lawyer Magazine

El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez has earned a spot among 2009 Texas top 25 “Extraordinary Minorities in Texas law” by Texas Lawyer magazine.

 

            The announcement was made this week in the publication of a tabloid-sized special section inside the September 28 edition of the Texas Lawyer magazine. The publication profiles 25 leading lawyers of color, selected by the editors of Texas Lawyer for their impact on Texas firms, government, nonprofits, academia and/or the corporate world within the past five years.

 

 In a press release to introduce the profiles of the attorneys featured in the publication, Texas Lawyer editor in chief  Colleen McGushin said: “There is no doubt that the 25 attorneys profiled in these pages have made significant contributions to law and lawyering in Texas. They write the laws that shape our state; stand up for the powerless; guide powerful corporations; and extend a helping hand to the next generation of attorneys.” County Attorney Rodríguez was recognized for his many community achievements including winning water, sewer and other infrastructure development for low-income unincorporated border communities known as colonias.

Rodríguez also exposed inequities in state funding (El Paso Court of Inquiry) to bring more tax dollars to El Paso and other border communities. He implemented a teen court, and an environmental task force which takes on issues such as illegal dumping.

In addition, Rodríguez is involved in legislative matters, including the passage of the County Code of Ethics Legislation, the first of its type in the state.  Outside the office, Mr. Rodríguez is heavily involved in several social justice organizations relating to health care, border and immigrant rights.  The 25 “Extraordinary Minorities in Texas law” will be honored at a luncheon on October 23 at the Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas. The keynote luncheon speaker will be Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson. To view the section online, visit www.texaslawyer.com. or http://www.law.com/jsp/tx/PubArticleTX.jsp?id=1202434126600.  

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Extraordinary Minorities Press Release.pdf

Northeast Residents Protected By a New Gang Injunction Against Members Of The Bloods

 

13 active members of the gang covered. Five others are scheduled to challenge the injunction in court

            El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez today announced that a gang injunction in Northeast El Paso is in effect against 13 members of the bloods street gang. Five other defendants will challenge the injunction in a trial to be held in March of next year.

El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodríguez said this afternoon that he believes this new gang injunction will give northeast residents some peace of mind.

"By restricting the activities of these gang members, we expect to see a drop in criminal activity in Northeast El Paso. I would like to thank El Paso Police Department for its support in getting this gang injunction implemented and for enforcing it," Rodríguez said.

The gang members under the civil injunction are almost half of the 27 individuals that were first sued in March 20, 2009 in an effort to curb crime and gang activity in Northeast El Paso. The original petition listed individuals who, according to police records, regularly associated to commit organized criminal activity, including aggravated assaults, burglaries, robberies, weapon offenses, and drug related transactions.

Since then, eight of the defendants have voluntarily agreed to the terms of the injunction, while five have been put under the restrictions of the injunction for failing to appear before the court (defaulted). Nine others have been removed from the lawsuit for different reasons.

The eight defendants that have voluntarily accepted the terms of the injunction by signing agreements with the County Attorney's Office are:

  1. Eyitayo Araromi (under a 2 year injunction)
  2. Olaniyi Araromi (under a 2 year injunction)
  3. Hector Carachure (under a 5 year injunction)
  4. Deshaun Jones (under a 5 year injunction)
  5. Fernando Perches (under a 5 year injunction)
  6. Markus Reed (under a 2 year injunction)
  7. Darius Terrell Shannon (under a 2 year injunction)
  8. Stanley Simmons (under a 5 year injunction)

Five additional individuals have been placed under the restrictions set forth by a 2-year injunction for failing to appear before the court (included in the injunction by default):   

  1. Cyrus Jamal Arnold
  2. Jacob Arreola
  3. Teandrea Barnes
  4. Travell Gomez
  5. Jackieray Charles Green

The gang injunction in place effectively increases punishment for defendants who commit crimes within the 2 designated "safety zones." The "Triangle Safety Zone" which begins at the intersection of Gateway North and Dyer and encompasses Gateway North on the West, Dyer on the east, and Hondo Pass on the north, and the "Patriot Safety Zone", that encompasses Transmountain Drive on the South, Gateway North on the west, McCombs on the east, and Sean Haggerty on the north.

             The new gang injunction forbids defendants from carrying out certain activities considered a public nuisance within the "safety zones," such as:

  • Associating, standing, sitting, walking, driving, bicycling, gathering, or appearing anywhere in public view or in the same vehicle with any other Defendant (there are exceptions).
  • Consuming alcoholic beverages, at any time, on public property.
  • Knowingly possessing indelible markers or pens, aerosol paint, or an etching or engraving device, which may be used to damage, deface, or mark private or public property.
  • Spray painting or otherwise marking graffiti on any public place or private property.
  • Confronting, intimidating, harassing, challenging, provoking, assaulting, and/or battering any individual inside the safety zones.
  • Knowingly using, possessing, and or selling illegal drugs or narcotics.
  • Remaining, walking, running, standing, driving, or riding about, in, or upon any public place within the safety zones between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. (there are exceptions).
  • Entering at anytime a public or private school or attending any school sponsored functions unless he is a student, works for the school, or is required to be there by a family attending school (Other exceptions apply).
  • Getting within 50 feet of the property known as "La Chit Chat Lounge" (4808 Dyer), including the parking area.

El Paso County José R. Rodríguez also announced today that nine of the original defendants have been removed from the lawsuit (non-suited) due to different factors: 

  1. Briant Berryman
  2. Brittany Rene Butler
  3. Kimberly Crawford
  4. Stephanie Annette Cruz
  5. Keshia Flanders
  6. Janise Jones
  7. Rogelio López
  8. Elgie Munn
  9. David Maurice Milner

At this point, only petitions against five alleged members of the blood gang remain pending. These individuals are:

  1. Omar Arreola
  2. Phillip Bobby Berryman
  3. Brian Christopher Hairston
  4. Eric Antwan Stokes

Daniel Odom* (Has not been found)

The trial to determine the implementation of the injunction against those defendants was scheduled for Monday October 4, 2009, but has now been re-scheduled for March 8, 2010 at 8:30 a.m.

The continuance on the case for those 5 defendants was granted this morning after a motion filed by defense counsel. At the hearing, the County Attorney's Office did not oppose the continuance of the trial because it involves a relatively small number of defendants and one of them is believed to have fled the country.

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Bloods Gang Injunction Update Press Release.pdf