FORMER BPD OFFICER HAD CLOSE TIES TO SHERIFF GARZA; ARE THE INMATES IN CHARGE OF THE CARRIZALES ASYLUM?

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

A former Brownsville Police Department officer was arrested on Tuesday for distributing meth and cocaine.

And local political sources say that Jose Salinas, 52, was active in the campaign of now-sheriff Eric Garza and at one time was said to have been considered to be placed in charge of the county's courthouse security, a bone of contention now in court between Garza and the Cameron County Commissioners Court. 

(The photo at right appeared in the Justice RGV FB page.)

Other say that Salinas hosted political pachangas for other candidates besides Garza. He was listed as a security officer (bailiff) with the city police serving on the Brownsville Municipal Court up to two weeks ago at a $67,749 salary. Was he let go and allowed to resign to lessen the impact on the department? 

According to court documents, Salinas was arrested on maintaining a drug-involved premise at a house in Brownsville.

After the courthouse security position fell through, these same sources close to the campaign say that he was being considered to operate the jail commissary as an alternative.

The government contends Salinas, a now-former member of the Brownsville Police Department, maintained the residence to store and distribute methamphetamine and cocaine last March 19, according to the document. Were the feds listening to him on his cell and whoever was on the line on the other side?

An arrest warrant was issued for Salinas on Tuesday and he was taken into custody without incident. He is being held in jail without bond.

Salinas made his first appearance in court on Wednesday where his detention hearing was set for June 14. 

The Brownsville Police Department, Federal Investigation Bureau (FBI) , and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) are collaborating in this investigation.

It's not as if Garza needs any more problems. Over the weekend, inmates staged yet another riot – the second in one month – complaining of poor medical attention. 

The incident is said to have erupted at about 2 p.m. Sunday.

So far, there have been no disciplinary action reported  against the riot leaders, said to be held in the same cell where the first disturbance took place.

"Eric is losing control of the jail," said a department staffer. "The inmates know the facility is short of staff and they are taking advantage. This time they broke a window and assaulted a jailer."

This followed the release of a recording where Garza calls on the sheriff's radio frequency band at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, apparently slurring his speech, and asked if everything was OK. When the dispatcher hesitated to answer, he is said to have called her supervisor an asked that he suspend her as a disciplinary action. Reports indicate that he also seemed to be inebriated during his call to the staff. 

His supporters say the tape doesn't prove he was drunk and some department workers say the administration is investigating how the tape was released to act against those who made it available to local mainstream and social media.