Even as the City of Brownsville administration tries to control the spin on news that one of its maintenance workers with full access to and assigned to the Police Department was arrested on a possession of nearly five kilos of cocaine Thursday, reports say that the cocaine may have originated from police sources during a sting.
This and other versions were circulating in the city following the announcement of the arrest.
But the complaint affidavit states that before the arrest, investigators observed a white Chevrolet truck pulling a utility trailer traveling eastbound on Military Highway in Brownsville. Investigators observed the truck turn southbound onto Old Military Highway, but the said the driver failed to signal the turn within the required 100 feet of the approaching intersection.
So far, Brownsville Police Chief Orlanda Rodriguez has not made clear the origin of the drug other than to corroborate his story with a news release from Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz that Manuel Ibarra Jr. was arrested while driving the marked city of Brownsville maintenance truck pulling city equipment on a trailer on Thursday.
The face of the city – as is the case in embarrassing situations and shootings by police – has been Charlie Cabler's city manager's office.
City spokeswoman Roxanna Rosas said Ibarra was a maintenance employee assigned to the police department. He had worked with the city since July 18, 2014, and he was fired Thursday after he was busted, she said.
The affidavit states that Ibarra told investigators that he received a phone call from an unidentified man who stated he was going to drop off a bag of drugs to him, according to the affidavit. Ibarra was then going to take the drugs to his vehicle, located at the main Brownsville Police Department, and then wait for a call from someone instructing him where to take the drugs, according to the affidavit.
Ibarra stated that he was not forced to transport the drugs and was going to be paid $500 to do so, according to the affidavit.
According to Saenz's press release, the call was part of a multi-agency sting operation that led to the discovery of the cocaine within the city truck. Ibarra was arrested and charged with possession of cocaine. He was transported to the Cameron County jail where he will await arraignment.
The operation was conducted by multiple agencies including the DA's , the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Brownsville P.D. and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
The press release does not disclose the origin of the drug.
“It’s very discouraging, very disappointing, because he was a city employee using city assets,” Saenz told a news broadcaster. “It’s very alarming because he worked at the Brownsville Police Department and had access to the building. He was able to see the units, and he knew the people there by name.”
If Ibarra was assigned to the PD, it's difficult to understand how he could have picked up the stash somewhere else when he was assigned to work at the department.
"Who in their right mind would drive into the PD with five kilos of cocaine?," asked a city employee.
19 comments:
Will be interesting to see how this plays out for the City of Brownsville. We know there is no leadership here, the administration of Tony Martinez just muddles along...out of control. Where there is smoke, there is fire; and this arrest may be only the beginning of the drug problems hidden within the city administration. Luis Saenz has proven to be heavy on mouth, but can't follow through with meaningful prosecutions. With so many trucks roving around the county with trailers carrying lawn mowers....we can only wonder how this investigation will go....or will it just go away.
When the night falls in Brownsville or Where the sidewalk ends.
Our own Serpico?
Wouldn't surprise me at all !! Look at how other evidence has gone missing
The dog ate the stash.
Juan,
Your disdain for BPD is well noted. With that being said, your article is full of inaccuracies and speculation.
Why not try responsible reporting? Maybe an open records request. ..before you post garbage.
Yes, he knew all the staff by name his brother is a Brownsville Police cop who has money problems.
I agree... that's a lot of "ifs".
The pigs are dirty. Of course they are
Very easy, stop hiring non US Citizens and stop hiring applicants that live in Matamoros. The city has alot of employees that commute on a daily basis from Matamoros. Too much temptation too much.
In February 2016 a city employee was arrested with $284000 in cash and he kept his job building sidewalks.
Brownsville no longer represents the ideals of an American community once consisting of great ideals like hard-work and Honesty. Viva Mexico!
The WHOLE country not just Cameron county is full of corrupt people. Starting with orange face man that has yet to show his tax returns, talks about jobs overseas and his own line is made somewhere else.
Brownsville is a beautiful city. SOME of its citizens are NOT. Some of them are white, brown and even oriental. They just haven't been caught.
The police department is being run by compradismo all around.
The Chief got his wife a job within the police department, without allowing anyone else to apply for the position. She now has her own private office, her personal restroom which no else can use but her.
Another position within the department was filled by the city's Public Works Director Santiago Navarro's son.
A niece of the Chief was given a "cold case" position, when she has never investigated a single felony case!
It's who you know at the Police Department.
Stop lying...
so what i gef out of the story in the paper is that multiple agencies noticed the the truck didnt signal a turn. my brain tells me he was under surveillance and failing to signal was the reason he was pulled over to make the arrest. now the call, "the call was part of a multi agency sting etc" do they go around calling city employees to see who bites?
I wonder why there wasn't a press release when district attorney narcitics investigator was found to be cleaning dirty money a few months ago
Is that what the female investigator, former deputy constable, doing?? Is that why she was fired?
7:08 pm
Yes
Isnt it nepotism to have the BPD chief's wife working there. She might be under city manager's supervision.
HOWEVER, no one complains or does anything about it. Puro corrupt!. Thats why we dont progress people. They both have family/close people working there. All compradismo!!
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