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Local news Friday, February 17, 2006

Rangers check out threats on deputies

Louie Gilot
El Paso Times
Friday, February 17, 2006

The Texas Rangers are looking into alleged threats made against family members of Hudspeth County sheriff's deputies at the request of U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas.

Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Tom Vinger declined to use the word "investigation," but said, "We are looking into this for the congressman, doing some preliminary inquiry to determine the scope of the problem."

Vinger said the inquiry would include talks with Hudspeth County sheriff's officials.

Reyes also sent a letter requesting an investigation of the threats to the FBI, but FBI officials said the allegations did not meet the requirements for an FBI investigation.

Both DPS and FBI officials said the Reyes letters are the only request they have received to investigate the threats.

Hudspeth Sheriff Arvin West could not be reached to explain why he did not ask the agencies to investigate.

The threats were reportedly made after the Jan. 23 standoff, in which sheriff's deputies pursued drug smugglers to the U.S.-Mexico border near Sierra Blanca. There, the smugglers were joined by armed men dressed in military-style clothing and crossed the Rio Grande into Mexico. Mexican officials have denied the involvement of the military and are investigating the incident.

West and a few of his deputies have told the news media that some of their family members were approached by men who threatened them.

The Reyes letter, dated Feb. 10, asks for a "thorough and formal investigation to the fullest and legal limits."

Border Patrol officials said their agents receive periodic threats from people smugglers and drug smugglers on the border, mostly relayed to them by informants.

Louie Gilot may be reached at lgilot@elpasotimes.com, 546-6131.