In the last campaign that convicted Cameron County Sheriff Conrado Cantu ran, he had been warned through intermediaries that perhaps he shouldn't run at all.
Cantu, ever the rebel who thought he could ride out the wave of media and public criticism with a song, decided to ignore the advice and run anyway.
He shouldn't have. He is now serving a lengthy prison sentence as a result of his conviction of providing drug runners safe passage through the county.
We don't know if former Cameron County District Attorney Armando Villalobos ever got the warning. The signs certainly were all about him and the mutterings were that he would be indicted if he ever decided to run for congress.Well, he not only got indicted, but also got convicted. He now faces a lengthy prison sentence if he loses his appeals.
The reason I remember these two unfortunates was because at one time or another while editing newsweeklies locally, I had the chance to work alongside them as they ran their campaigns. Among others who were close to the campaigns were Geronimo Garcia with Cantu and Justin Ramos with Villalobos.
We never really knew what anyone expected from the men if they won. However, Garcia ended up getting the lucrative jail commissary contract and Ramos got a job with DA Villalobos. Garcia served time for helping Cantu with drug runners. Ramos is serving time for a conviction on drug running.
Now, as the government seeks to close the corruption cases stemming from the Abel Limas-Jim Solis-Marc Rosenthal axis of corruption, none other than Ramos, now serving a six-year sentence for drug running has taken the center stage to finger those he says took money from him in the form of bribes to get favorable resolution to cases against him with the DA and in local courts.
During the trial of of former Villalobos partner Eddie Lucio, Ramos has named 444th District Court Judge David Sanchez and current DA Luis Saenz as having taken $1,000 bribes from him when they were special prosecutors for Villalobos. Neither man has been indicted or convicted of any wrongdoing. Sanchez has declined to comment on Ramos' assertions on the stand. Saenz has called the convicted felon a "scumbag liar.'
Ramos also said he paid Villalobos and defendant Lucio money for favors related to cases filed against him.
According to Valley Morning Star reporter Emma Perez-Treviño's account of an evidentiary hearing out of the ears of the Lucio jury, Ramos claimed that he has been dealing in drugs while working for Villalobos and that he could not very well describe the duties entailed in the job.
He also said that Villalobos and others knew that he was dealing drugs at the time he worked for the DA's office and knew the bribes were from the proceeds of those illegal acts.
In December 2010, news accounts say that the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents caught one "Carlos Justino Ramos" and two other men and accused them of trafficking 2,020 pounds of marijuana on an 8-wheeler off U.S. Expressway 77/83 south of Lincoln Road in Harlingen.
As a result, he was sentenced to the six-year prison term and is now serving time in prison.
His testimony was presented to the judge by federal prosecutors who are trying to introduce the court to allow them to enter it as proof against Lucio in the corruption case against him. When Ramos testified he paid Sanchez, there was no action taken against him.
Even if the jury doesn't hear Ramos, the collateral damage to the sitting judge and DA has already been done because in the coffeehouses and restaurants an indictment means a conviction even if no prosecution results from the testimony of a convicted felon. Ramos says he is testifying with no expectations or promises of sentence reduction or other considerations from the government because he wants to be the
good citizen he has always been.
If there is collateral damage along the way, what does he care?
29 comments:
WOW isn't Saenz the guy going after the corrupt senior citizens at the game rooms?
I feel so much safer now that these criminals are off our streets-----NOT!!!!!!!!
Pero las ratas de dos patas en sus oficinas muy contentos robando con licencia. Que bonito...
Senor Montoya, Luis Saenz is right when he refers to Justin Ramos as a “scumbag liar.” When we took office in January of 2005, Justin Ramos had been hired for the Hot Check division. Justin Ramos was not a police officer and was issued credentials by ex-Chief Investigator Joe Lopez. Then Joe Lopez would allow this Justin Ramos to go out with a licensed investigator to arrest hot check violators? While in office, it was discovered from one of the other investigators sources that Justin Ramos had been arrested in Kingsville which was at the checkpoint for Possession of Marijuana and later convicted. So, the information had been forwarded to Joe Lopez who “if he was worth his salt” to advise Armando Villalobos about it? Well, it was known in the office about this guy and nothing ever was done. It wasn’t until there was rumor that he had stolen some money from another person and charges were filed. All of a sudden, Justin Ramos was released. This only proves Luis Saenz’ comment! I believe that Armando Villalobos knew this and just hoped that no one would find out? The only reason Justin Ramos got a job was because he worked in Armando’s office and helped him on the campaign and promised a job. I found it funny when Justin Ramos said that he contacted the FBI or AUSA office because everyone was being arrested? The only reason he came out and alleged these allegations is because he owes one to Armando Villalobos for covering for him, giving him a job and I think have Eddie Lucio help him with that dope charge? Armando Villalobos and his followers were allowed to “lie” about anything in the office to shake the suspicions of certain events. The real police officers suspected shady things in the office but took it as politics by Villalobos. Of course, Armando Villalobos was not going to commit a crime in front of the honest investigators. This is the word of a convicted felon against an elected official without anything to substantiate the allegation. Of course, Justin Ramos has no deal with the AUSA office because he has already been convicted and has no evidence to corroborate the allegation against Luis Saenz or David Sanchez.
I find it hard to believe that Ernie Hernandez with all of his shenanigans which are crimes is still pretending like he is an honorable man and you write about a guy who is in jail doing time and some one ends him some cigarettes and says be sure and talk about Luis Saenz. You people sucking this up are probably the same ones who do not care about The four Americans killed in Benghazi, you are more concerned about Zimmerman and how bad he was for defending himself. Aren't you tired of this nonsense. Why is the FBI not after Luis Saenz? Ernie is small fries and he and his band of comadres are through with the selling and buying of votes.
HEY, JUSTIN RAMOS IS A PIECE OF CAGADA JUAN!!! SAENZ IS RIGHT CABRON!!!.....ISN'T HE THE ONE THAT SAID SOMEONE STOLE HIS IDENTITY??...SHIT, IF YOU WERE GOING TO STEAL AN IDENTITY...STEAL A GOOD ONE CABRON!! NOT ONE QUE NO VALE MADRE!!! PINCHE JUSTIN IS TALKING TO GET TIME OFF HIS PINCHE SENTENCE CULEROS!!!....WHY DIDN'T HE SAY ANYTHING WHEN HIS TRIAL WAS GOING ON??? WHY DIDN'T HE BRING UP ANY OF THE CHINGADERAS HE IS SAYING NOW WHEN HIS TRIAL WAS ON PUTOS???....JUSTIN RAMOS IS A PINCHE JOKE OJETES!!! HIS TESTIMONY SHOULD BE THROWN PINCHE OUT PUTOS!!!!! THE PUTO IS A PATHALOGICAL LIAR!!! AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE SAID TO BE TRUE,....YOU JUST HAVE TO CONSIDER THE PINCHE SOURCE.....UUUUUYYYYYYYYY!!!!!
MACLOVIO O'MALLEY
Maclovioomalley, you just don't like Justin becuz he turned in your buddy Villalobos. There's a reason your dumb show is not on anymore. Que no?! The same show that had you air Villalobos that he was not gonna be indicted. Pendejo, he not only got indicted, he got convicted! No que muy chingon blabbing your mouth away like you know it all. Turns out you don't, you wanna be politician.
I believe it about Saenz and Sanchez. They were just smarter than then the rest. They are POS if ever there was a POS. Hope they both go down! Scumbag POS both!
Justin is a piece of shit but so is Saenz! What motive would he have to say what he said about Saenz and Sanchez. He's already convicted! Saenz has a lot of baggage. It's all coming out sooner or later. Too bad they haven't played the taped conversation between Saenz and Limas. I bet that would make for some interesting listening!
TODOS SON PURAS PINCHES RATAS!!!!!!
Y EL SAENZ ES EL MAS GRANDE DE TODOS!!!!!
It is very interesting to hear what mr. Ramos has to say now that he owes no allegiance to Cameron county cartel.
3:36 Elected Officials?
David Sanchez,
Ernie Hernandez,
Luis Saenz,
Daniel Sanchez,
Erin Hernandez,
Armando Villalobos?
Cortados con la misma tijera
juan and then came luis saenz the 1000 dollar man crooked as a mesquite tree and part of the corruption gang at Cameron county along with gilberto hinojosa, juan magallanes, joe rivera arurora de la caca etc etc etc whats wrong with this picuture people???? chupie
That photo does mot look like Conrado Cantu.
Looks like some of thee commenters are trying to whitewash Saenz. Sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to find the real dirt. O'Malley, I am sure you don't want Ramos ranting on because you and the judge might end up part of his "unbelievable" tales.
Was Saenz the one who didn't get a guilty verdict on the mayor when he, the mayor put a check in his bank account that was not made out to him? Oh that same mayor how did his DWI trial turn out?
is cantu almost getting out? maybe he wants might want to run again like that crazy commissioner in hidalgo county.
The elephant in the room says that Justin Ramos was the drug dealer for all these guys, including Villalobos. That is what got Ramos his jobs in the law office, campaign and DA's office. Justin Ramos is a burro who had too much on Villalobos et al from the get go. They had no choice but to keep him employed and out of trouble.
response to Aug. 9, 11:11 am.......
You could change the name Justin Ramos for the name Chris Valadez and the name Villalobos for Cascos and it would still be true.
Everyone is forgetting to include our walking worthless corpse Omar Lucio and the Reyna sisters. I believe Idiot Omar has an idictment pending as well. Also drunk Reyna was already questioned pending arrest too. They are just tightening their asses hoping it will pass.
Ironic that the reporter aint reporting on the Lucio trial today when this Ramos guy is telling his tales on Saenz nd Sanchez nd evry body else. Dam convenent she has reported on all this trials but has something to do today when the shit is shoveled on this crooks. Dam crooks even get to the reporters so we cant know what is really happning. Chingao!
What I would like to know is Why isn't Melissa Zamora posting on behalf of her beloved boss Luis Saenz like he did for her? What is stopping her from posting you are wrong about Luis Saenz. I have the upmost confidence on Luis and I will sign my name to anything he does. He did it for her why won't she do it for him?
reply 8.47am...tienes razon al pendejo 'bigotes de saenz con todas las pruebas del famoso cheque de 28ooo.dlls que se chingo ahumada no lo pudo meter al bote, tambien esta el caso de la vieja cisneros que mando matar al muchacho fisher del san jose por un error de saenz la vieja salio del bote luego los federales la metieron al bote.MONTOYA ahi te das cuenta de la corrupcion que hay en la cuidad de browsville,como llego ese cheque de 28000 dlls a las manos del corrupto ahumada,alguien del dept de finanzas o de la oficina del city mgr.ordeno que le dieran ese cheque.que se hizo 'nimadre'.lo que necesitamos es una limpia en todos los niveles de gobierno en la cuidad de brownsville....SR ALCALDE AHORA QUE TIENE MAYORIA EN LA COMISION HAGANOS UN FAVOR Y ANTES QUE TERMINE SU GOBIERNO ACABE CON TODOS ESTOS CABRONES QUE TIENE LA CUIDAD[city mgr,purhcasing,finance dept,public works,parks,health dept incluyendo el TIRA TIROS DE WILLY GLZ y otros mas ratas que no recuerdo] SECUESTRADA
"47am...tienes razon al pendejo 'bigotes de saenz"
STFU. Not even your next door neighbor will read that shit.
Emma got the State Award for reporting??? I question that considering that she is supposed to be an "investigative reporter" but has yet to uncover all the dirty under the table deals in Harlingen??? You have a white mayor with ideas of only making money for those few and allowing certain Hispanic mamomes crumbs! As far as that Justin Ramos crook, he was nothing more than a liar and dope dealer and Armando Villalobos knew about it!
juan you need to do a piece on luis saenz the voters got rid of one corrupt da to install another thats corrupt too, omg what is wrong with this picture? for a measley 1000 dollars, que barato right? hope he gets indicted too and out of there =, he has no business trying crooks when he is one himself. once a crook, always a crook i say. adios
Notice how the headline didnt say anything about "DA Saenz took bribe" like they put at VMS and BH. Montoya is friends with Luis and tried to minize the story by putting Ramos down. Let's tell it like it is. Apparently the feds do believe him otherwise they would not have put him on to testify. The indictments are coming CABRONES!!!!
to southmost kid:
good luck with that one. Check out the above ad from S & M transportation. That belongs to none other than Zeke Silva, Saenz's campaign manager and now employee. Juan is no dummy! he's not going to bite the tit that's feeding him! verdad Juan!
You fuckers leave Saenz alone!!! He's tough on crime! He's fighting the real hard core criminals! Haven't you seen him arresting all of those old people at the 8-liners! That's what was wrong with the county! But now that he closed all the 8-liners....there is no more crime! Those old people were all cartel members! Dejen de chingar con Saenz putos!!!
pendejo you believe everything you read, ramos is a liar like that fat piece of shit limas, o and no one voted out the former da
So juan that eddie lucio dude got away.,. What happen i thought the feds had enough evidence to convict the dude, i guess not, or was there something different over in corpus with that jury??? HUM HUM HUM just wondering???? dc
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