Starr DA: Investigator’s home torched by Gulf Cartel

Posted: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 5:46 pm
Karen Antonacci |
The Monitor

RIO GRANDE CITY — A district attorney’s investigator’s home was burned to the ground early Tuesday morning — apparent retribution by the Gulf Cartel for recent drug busts, the Starr County district attorney said.
Omar Escobar said Tuesday that his office will not be intimidated and back down from their cases following the apparent arson of a narcotics investigator’s home in retaliation to drug busts.

The home, which was under construction near Midway Road and U.S. 83 on the outskirts of Rio Grande City, did not have electricity connected to it and burned to the ground about 4 a.m. Tuesday, District Attorney Omar Escobar said.

Due to the investigator’s work with the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Escobar said his office believes the act was intended as retaliation by people associated with the Camargo plaza of the Gulf Cartel.

“We are going to continue our work and if anything, step up our efforts. Law enforcement presence is not going to be deterred in that area,” said Escobar, who prosecutes cases in the 229th state Judicial District, which encompasses Starr and Jim Hogg counties.

When asked whether the act was in response to a ramping up of efforts on the part of HIDTA and the DA’s office, Escobar said he sees the number of recent busts as on par with 2013, when he was elected to the position.

“It’s just the job I was elected to do,” he said. “I wasn’t elected to prosecute less cases and investigators weren’t hired to investigate less cases. It’s the job we do — the job we took on.”

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