'Most wanted' lists filled with hard-to-track Latinos 'They're anonymous invisible, really'

newsobserver.com ^ | Jun 22, 2006 12:30 AM | Thomasi McDonald and Mandy Locke, Staff Writers

[dennisw]

For nearly five days, Johnston County (NORTH CAROLINA) sheriff's deputies have looked for Rigo Coyt Partida, a native of Mexico who neighbors said blasted his roommate in the chest with a shotgun. It's like hunting in the dark, deputies say.

Partida, 45, a bricklayer, told his boss that his name was "Felipe Corona." Players on his soccer team and his Selma neighbors knew him by other names. He took off in a truck not registered to him, and federal immigration agents have turned up nothing, detectives said.

"We have no way to track down people like this," Johnston Sheriff's Lt. Fred Dees said. "They're anonymous -- invisible, really."

Law enforcement agencies often search in vain for suspects who may not be in the country legally. As a result, Latinos -- the bulk of the 300,000 illegal immigrants in the state -- dominate the lists of "most wanted" crime suspects in Wake and Johnston counties.

In Wake, Hispanics account for more than 70 percent of the suspects on the most wanted lists for the Sheriff's Office and Raleigh police. In Johnston, nearly all of the homicides in which no one has been arrested in recent years involve Hispanic suspects.

By contrast, Hispanics make up less than 8 percent of the population in these counties and accounted for about 12 percent of people arrested in Wake in 2005.

Fears of profiling

These most wanted lists are the face of violent crime in the community -- broadcast on Internet sites and displayed on posters. They allow law enforcement to spread the word and solicit tips.

Some advocates worry that the over-representation of Hispanics on these lists is a form of racial profiling, but law enforcers say the lists simply reflect the most elusive fugitives. Because foreign-born citizens often lack verifiable documentation and can easily slip back into their home countries, they tend to be the hardest to catch.

The tactics typically used to catch suspects often fall short when the target wasn't born in this country or even this state, SBI Director Robin Pendergraft said.

"We look at utility records, we talk with neighbors, we visit the schools your children may attend," Pendergraft said. "Some people are harder to track, and that's being reflected in most wanted."

Regardless of the reasons for Hispanics dominating these lists, the effect can be dangerous, said Marisol Jimenez-McGee, a social worker and advocate with El Pueblo, a Latino advocacy group in Raleigh.

Jimenez-McGee pointed to incidents in Mount Olive, where three police officers were accused of robbing Hispanic drivers during traffic stops in 2004. That same year, the state appeals court determined that a trooper with the state Highway Patrol engaged in ethnic profiling when he targeted Hispanic motorists for traffic stops.

"Are all the crimes related to racial profiling? No," she said. "But it exists."

Fake documentation

Local law enforcement agencies say an underground market in counterfeit green cards, driver's licenses and Social Security cards undermines their ability to nab Hispanic suspects. Marketing fake documents to immigrants has become a multimillion-dollar industry in the United States, said Tom O'Connell, resident agent in charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office in Cary.

"All the people who are here illegally have to be employed in order to survive," O'Connell said. "You can go to a trailer park or a corner in any major city and within an hour have a Social Security card or a green card for about 20 bucks. It's here in Raleigh."

Jimenez-McGee said the underground economy exists because the immigration system is broken. The inability of illegal immigrants to get a North Carolina driver's license forces them to tap into under-the-table arrangements.

"That has been a stopping block to opening a bank account, renting an apartment or securing utilities in your name," Jimenez-McGee said.

Law enforcement often has trouble communicating with witnesses who might also be in the country illegally. Aside from the language barrier, many illegal workers shy away from police because they fear the officers will deport them.

"When you lump in immigrant status with crime, then you alienate a large part of that community," Jimenez-McGee said.

Extradition difficulties

During the Johnston County homicide investigation last weekend, sheriff's deputies say they made it a point to tell witnesses that they are not immigration officials checking on their status.

"They don't want to be on our radar, and simply talking to us puts them there," Dees said.

Even if law officers can pinpoint a suspect living outside the United States, bringing him to justice is often tricky, officials say.

"If they flee to another country, we can't rely on law enforcement the way we rely on law enforcement agencies here," Raleigh police spokesman Jim Sughrue said.

In the case of Mexico, even if authorities figure out an address for a suspect, government officials refuse to extradite citizens wanted for crimes that could carry the death penalty, said Tex Lindsey, U.S. Marshal Fugitive Task Force commander for Eastern North Carolina.

Johnston sheriff's deputies hope it doesn't come to that with Partida. Even if he doesn't turn up soon, being wanted will make him surface.

"As long as there is a living breath in him, somebody with a badge will be looking for him," Johnston Sheriff's Capt. Buck Pipkin said. "He'll always be wanted, and he'll always be looking over his shoulder."

[dennisw]

Partida has used several names.

 

 MOST WANTED LISTS

 

 

RALEIGH POLICE

Adriana Deloya Roman, 21, charged with the murder of Edwin Sosas. Police think Roman is living in Mexico.

Alfonso Montoya Hernandez, 53, charged with murder

Andrew Lawrence Lewis, 36, wanted in the 2000 murder of Alden Augustine

Cesar Estrada, 34, murder

Emelanio Sandoval Rojas, 56, murder

Fitzgerald Innocent, 37, murder

Gregory Galberth, 41, armed robbery

Phu Tan Nguyen, 36, wanted in a 1996 homicide that occurred outside a restaurant on New Hope Road

Shawnte Roy Williams, 22, wanted for common law robbery, trespassing and possession of stolen property

Gonzalo Garcia, 29, murder

Jose Francisco Martinez, 34, murder

Jose Herrnandez, 39, murder

Jose Ismael Bonilla-Yanez, 41, burglary, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping

Juan Armenta Perez, 40, murder

Juaquin Sanchez, 55, murder

Noel Monterrubio-Garcia, 36, murder

Tomas Serrano Garcia, 35, murder

Raleigh police ask anyone with information to call 890-3355.

WAKE COUNTY SHERIFF

Louis M. Avendano, 35, murder

Emad Mahd Bsiso, 46, first-degree sex offense

Juan Barbassa-Gayton, 30, assault with a deathly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury

Marko Michael Navas, 26, indecent liberties with a juvenile

Jorge Simon Matteo, 28, statutory sex offense

Daniel Sandria Moreno, 44, murder

Orlando Valentin Cruz, 44, murder

Anyone with information is urged to call the Wake County Sheriff's Office at 856-6911 or 856-5383.

NORTH CAROLINA

Omar Ocampo Figueroa, 34, wanted in the 1999 murder of Silvia Cuevas, 28, in Aberdeen

Jose Manuel Torres Miranda, 25, charged with 2003 murder of Charles Hanley, a retired fire chief from the Roosevelt Volunteer Fire Department in New York

Yong Orellana Bonilla, 32, wanted in the slaying of Thomas Cabrera, 38. Bonilla has been entered as wanted worldwide.

Ismael Mendes Ordones, 25, wanted in the May 1996 murder of Lauren Clifton Denny at her home near Candor

Alejandro 'Alex' Gutierrez, 18, wanted in the 2005 triple murders of Jose Manuel Sanchez, Tomas Romero, and Jorge Osmano Castland Alberto in Statesville

Gonzalo Garcia Gonzalez, wanted in the 2004 murder of Luis Perez Mejia in Monroe

Richard Lynn Bare, 41, wanted in the 1984 murder of a woman who was pushed from a cliff in Wilkes County.

Home Invasion Suspect: Two home invasions occurred September 2000 within 30 minutes of each other in Northern Cabarrus County close to Rowan County.

Be-Lo Grocery Store Suspect, wanted for the 1993 triple homicide at the grocery in Windsor

The State Bureau of Investigation asks anyone who knows the location of these suspects to call (800) 334-3000.

JOHNSTON COUNTY

Aurelio Claudio Rogue, wanted in the April death of Candido Valdez Agustin, 19

Jose Chacon Torres, 39, accused of soliciting a murder for hire in the 1998 death of Richard Vestal

Pablo Hernandez Silverio, 29, wanted in the 2005 death of Jasiel Urgell Dantory

Rigo Coyt Partida, 45, wanted in the June 17 death of Gerardo Magana

Five suspects in the 2003 death of Adriana Mexicano at a brothel near Princeton.

Reach the Johnston County Sheriff's Department at 989-5010.

[Ken522]

"When you lump in immigrant status with crime, then you alienate a large part of that community," Jimenez-McGee said.

You also get more law-breakers, Jimenez-McGee.

[Cinnamon]

doing the work U.S. Citizens won't do?

[Gritty]

"We have no way to track down people like this," Johnston Sheriff's Lt. Fred Dees said. "They're anonymous -- invisible, really."

Maybe these few are "anonymous, invisible" to you, Sheriff, but the rest of their ilk are highly visible to us. And nearly every one of them is breaking some law by being here illegally, using false identifications, nonpayment of taxes, working illegally, driving without a license or insurance, etc., etc., etc.

There's no mystery as to who these "other" lawbreakers are. We see them on the street and in the stores every single day.

Every single day, Sheriff!

There is a bonanza of criminals walking around right under your nose, Sheriff, and can arrest ten, twenty, a hundred of them any time you want and with little effort.

[taxed2death]

Comments?

Strawberry pickers?

Home builders?

LOL

[Shimmer128]

What is common law robbery?
And while I'm at it, what is the difference between theft by taking vs theft by deception vs other kinds of theft which I can't remember right now?

[cardinal4]

Some advocates worry that the over-representation of Hispanics on these lists is a form of racial profiling, but law enforcers say the lists simply reflect the most elusive fugitives.

Racial profiling?? It was a Latino who did it and according to the article, Latinos comprise 70% of the most wanted list. Who else are they going to look for, Kiwis? Japanese? Inuit? Sheesh..

[WayneM]

By contrast, Hispanics make up less than 8 percent of the population in these counties and accounted for about 12 percent of people arrested in Wake in 2005. Most aren't bad people - they're just 1.5 times more likely to commit a crime that is the general public.

[Vinnie]

Watch 'America Most Wanted' one Saturday night.

Pres. Bush

[BradyLS]

Shoot. I predict nothing's going to be done about illegal immigration until one of them runs directly afoul of a US Senator.

[Tarheel]

Amish in their black hats perhaps??? ;-)

[TLI]

Boyer, Casio and Waters have been on the list for years.  Probabloy dead by now.  
ROSENSTROM is new.
The rest of the list is just revolving door material,  all illegals and all gangbangers.

The following fugitives are wanted as of

May 31, 2006

Confirm warrants prior to arrest.

	The people pictured below are
	W A N T E D
	in the state of Texas and have been designated as Texas' Ten Most Wanted Fugitives

A publication of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Criminal Intelligence Service

KENNETH RAY. BOYER	GUSTAVO CARDENAS	MACK ALLEN CASIO	RAUL FLORES, JR.	PEDRO PETE HERNANDEZ
W/M, 12-23-1958, 5'06", 145 lbs. Parole Warrants: Burg. of Hab. Other Warrants: Sex Assault LKA:  Corpus Christi, TX	W/M, 04-03-1975, 5'06", 160 lbs. Parole Warrants: Burg. of Veh. LKA:  Laredo, TX MEMBER OF HERMANOS DE PISTOLEROS LATINOS VIOLENT   TENDENCIES	W/M, 12-28-1970, 5'08", 170 lbs. Parole Warrants: Burg. of Hab. Other Warrants: Burg. of Hab. - 3 cts. LKA:  Garland, TX	W/M, 02-07-1973, 5'05", 180 lbs. Parole Warrants: Deliver Marijuana Other Warrants: Murder LKA:  Houston, TX MEMBER OF HERMANOS DE PISTOLEROS LATINOS VIOLENT   TENDENCIES	W/M, 03-07-1978, 5'07", 165 lbs. Warrants: Homicide; Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution LKA:  Waco, TX
JOHNNY PEREZ, JR.	ERIC GEORGE ROSENSTROM	JOSE ISMAEL SALAS	FLAVIO SEGUEDA	RICKY LEE WATERS
W/M, 10-08-1974, 5'10", 190 lbs. Parole Warrants: Compel Prostitution Other Warrants: DWI; Fail to Comply w/ Sex Offender Reg. LKA:  San Angelo, TX MEMBER OF MEXICAN MAFIA	W/M, 12-05-1960, 6'00", 195 lbs. Warrants: Homicide LKA:  Rockport, TX	W/M, 05-11-1971, 5'11", 230 lbs. Warrants: Fail to Appear (DWI); Agg. Kidnapping LKA:  Dallas, TX MEMBER OF TEXAS SYNDICATE VIOLENT   TENDENCIES	W/M, 11-02-1972, 5'03", 123 lbs. Parole Warrants: Unauth. Use of Motor Vehicle; Retaliation Other Warrants: Kidnapping; Murder LKA:  Laredo, TX MEMBER OF MEXICAN MAFIA VIOLENT   TENDENCIES	W/M, 01-19-1957, 5'11", 167 lbs. Parole Warrants: Agg. Assault, Agg. Rape, Att. Capital Murder Other Warrants: Fail to Register as Sex Offender LKA:  Houston, TX REG. SEX OFFENDER

These fugitives should be considered ARMED and DANGEROUS!  NEVER attempt to apprehend a fugitive yourself.  If you have information on the location of any of these fugitives, contact TEXAS CRIME STOPPERS, 24 hours a day, at:

1-800-252-TIPS (8477)

You DO NOT have to give your name, and your information could earn you a
$1,00