SHERIFF, CHIEF DEPUTY GRACIA REBUFF FEDERAL PROSECUTORS; NIX FEDS' AWARD TO SGT. ALMANZA

Special to El Rrun-Rrun

Across the United States, the U.S. Department of Justice – through its local U.S. Attorney's offices –  annually awards much-coveted and respected agent awards to non-DOJ employees for their contribution to their prosecution of federal laws and statutes.

For local police, sheriff, and other law enforcement departments and larger agencies like the Texas Department of Public Safety, garnering one of these awards is a cherished honor they would give their eye-teeth for.

It is an award that highlights one of their employees as top-notch investigators recognized by the federal government for helping them prosecute criminals and protect victims.

Everyone, that is, except for the Cameron County Sheriff's Department. 

Federal sources – and others close to the Cameron County Commissioners Court who have heard of this – have confirmed that both Sheriff Eric Garza and his chief Deputy Robert Gracia, have refused to sign on to the prestigious award from the local Ass. U.S. Attorneys' Office that federal prosecutors wanted to present to Sgt. Rodrigo Alamanza for his help in prosecuting a man accused of human trafficking of a 21-month old baby.

According to federal prosecutors, it was Almanza's testimony in federal court that helped to convict coyote Rodolfo Vento and after a jury convicted him Judge Fernanado Rodriguez Jr. sentenced him to prison for 10 years . Almanza's testimony was crucial in helping to convict the human trafficker. 

The man was tried in local federal court in 2019. An appeal by Vento to overturn his conviction was denied by a federal appeals court on March 2020. https://casetext.com/case/united-states-v-vento-2

Federal prosecutor Elena Llanos-Salinas sent Garza and Gracia a letter asking them to acknowledge the recognition and to sign on to have the award  presented to the investigator since before May 30 this year.

So far Garza and Gracia – the latter a former U.S. Customs Service agent – have refused to sign on to have their department investigator recognized by the DOJ even after prosecutors provided them the facts and proof of Almanza's contribution to the man's conviction. In disbelief, federal prosecutors extended the deadline to give them information they requested before they signed on, to no avail. 

Could it be that they are refusing to acknowledge the federal prosecutors because they have both been sued by Almanza in federal court for retaliation and violating his rights to free speech because he had publicly supported former Sheriff Omar Lucio against Garza? 

Is this just another example of the retaliation that Almanza alleges in his federal lawsuit? If it is, it points more and more to the petty nature of the top echelon of the county's sheriff's department.

Neither Almanza nor his attorney David Willis would comment on this issue.

On May 28, 2021 Llanos-Salinas from the U.S Attorney's office nominated Almanza for an agent award for his participation in a smuggling case where the 2-year-old infant was abducted. According to the federal prosecutor, Almanza's involvement in this case was critical to the rescue and the apprehension of the suspect found guilty by a federal jury.

The problem is that the nomination needed to be signed by the department head, yes, Sheriff Garza. Federal prosecutors tried all means to get Garza to sign, but he refused. They then contacted Chief Deputy Gracia who said he needed to read the case file. The file, since it involved a minor, had already been closed, but the federal prosecutor provided him all the information he requested. Gracia, however,  said that he didn't have enough information and refused to sign.

It would seem that Garza and Gracia completely lost their common sense, or are they are just giving Almanza more and more ammunition for his case?

Is this a case of them cutting off their nose to spite their face? Or is this just another example of the pettiness and hostility that sheriff department employees have been complaining about since the new administration – which appears clueless on how to run a department or treat its employees – has exhibited since January?

Regardless of how the Almanza – and other civil rights lawsuits against Gracia and Garza – turn out, it is abundantly clear that support of local law enforcement men and women is not what these two have in mind for Cameron County. Rather, it seems to be that they will embrace pettiness and backbiting rather than commending one of their own employees for a job well done in protecting victims of crime like the kidnapped infant.

Who's acting like spoiled children now?