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Cantu pleads guilty to corruption
Former sheriff awaits sentence for aiding drug dealers

By SERGIO CHAPA
The Brownsville Herald
July 9, 2005

Former Sheriff Conrado Cantu could spend life in prison after he pleaded guilty Friday to profiting from and protecting drug traffickers and other criminals.

The former Cameron County lawman appeared handcuffed and shackled in a green jumpsuit before U.S. District Judge Hilda Tagle and pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering. The plea cost Cantu his right to vote, hold public office and own a gun.

As part of a plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed six other charges against Cantu that included extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking and obstructing justice.

Federal prosecutors accused Cantu, 49, of leading a five-man organization that solicited and extorted bribes from drug traffickers, money launders and illegal gamblers in return for protection.

Although no recommendations were made for sentencing, the former sheriff is expected to be sentenced on Sept. 27 and faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and up to a $250,000 fine under federal law.

"The public has a right to expect that their law enforcement officials will abide by the laws they have sworn to uphold," said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Don DeGabrielle with the Southern District of Texas in a written statement issued Friday. "Today's conviction of a former county sheriff stands as proof of the determination of investigators and prosecutors to hold public officials accountable for their criminal misconduct."

Federal authorities arrested Cantu and four other men in June and charged them with using the Cameron County Sheriff's Department to solicit and extort bribes to protect criminals in addition to other acts of witness tampering and obstructing justice.

The plea agreement marks a sharp turn in strategy in which Cantu pleaded not guilty at a June 13 arraignment to seven counts in a 10-count federal indictment.

"The stakes were too high and the evidence was too strong," said Cantu's attorney Alberto Pullen.

Pullen said the decision to enter a plea agreement was made after he and Cantu learned that prosecutors held extensive evidence, including photographs, video and cell phone recordings.

If Cantu had been convicted on the original charges, he could have faced at least 115 years in prison and more than $5.5 million in fines. But Pullen said his client would serve significantly less time through the plea agreement.

Tagle told Cantu that his guilty plea would make him a felon and, therefore, ineligible to vote, hold public office or own a gun.

The federal judge ordered court officials to complete a pre-sentence investigation report by Aug. 18 to recommend a sentence for the former sheriff.

"I feel it would be irresponsible for me to come up with some kind of figure before a pre-sentence investigation report comes out, but I can say it will be substantially less than life in prison," Pullen said of a sentence for Cantu. "But he will get out (after his sentence) to see his children and grandchildren."

Cantu is expected to remain in custody in a single-person cell, but has been allowed more privileges such as television and contact with other inmates since a federal judge denied the former sheriff bond at the June 13 hearing, Pullen said.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Felix Recio cited concerns that Cantu was a flight risk to Mexico because of his professional ties there and a second family living in Matamoros.

Although Cantu's son and longtime attorney Ernesto Gamez declined to comment, Pullen said Cantu has found comfort through religion.

"He's accepted God, become more religious, read the Bible, done things to change his way of life," Pullen said. "He is becoming more positive and this is something that will help him out when he gets out."

Former sheriff's Capt. Rumaldo Rodriguez is accused of two counts of racketeering and one count of extortion after he allegedly worked with Cantu on several acts named in the indictment.

Former county jail commissary vendor Geronimo "Jerry" Garcia is accused of working with and without Cantu on nine counts of racketeering, extortion, money laundering and drug trafficking.

Garcia's brother-in-law Reynaldo Uribe is accused of three counts of money laundering after he allegedly agreed to help transport drug money.

Brownsville resident and restaurant owner Hector Solis is accused of a single count of obstructing justice after he and Cantu allegedly discussed and prevented raids at illegal video gambling casinos.

Cantu will not testify against his co-defendants or any other individuals, Pullen said.

It was not clear Friday afternoon whether the co-defendants would be tried separately or together.

Defense attorneys for the co-defendants did not return calls for comment by press time Friday.

schapa@brownsvilleherald.com
Posted by: Maurice Bernard on Jul 09, 05 | 12:02 am | Profile