Posted on 08/13/2005 3:50:16 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
ROMA — A day after a member of the notorious Mara Salvatrucha gang was arrested in connection with the beating death of an immigrant smuggler north of here, Roel Ramirez said he feared for his family’s safety.
He also worries about leaving people alone at his cattle and wildlife ranch nine miles north of here, where people from all over the world come to view and photograph birds.
"It’s very, very scary," said Ramirez of the possible presence of the El Salvadoran gang, also known as MS-13. "I spend a lot of time at the ranch. (On Tuesday), my ranch hand said he intercepted 20 people. Even with a high fence around the perimeter of the ranch, they got in."
Ramirez said his ranch hand shouted to the group to leave, and they quickly scattered. That incident ended peacefully.
However, the Starr County Sheriff’s Department plans to file charges today in connection with another incident that left an immigrant smuggler dead early Wednesday.
Sheriff Rey Guerra said smugglers, or coyotes, were leading a group of 25 undocumented immigrants through Starr County when five members believed to be part of the MS-13 gang attacked one of the smugglers, apparently in retaliation for another Salvadoran immigrant who smugglers removed from the group.
At the mere mention of MS-13 from witnesses of the crime, authorities went into action.
"We don’t take any chances," Guerra said Wednesday. "Believe me, any time that word (MS-13) comes up, we are going to take it seriously."Guerra said the Bureau of U.S. Customs and Border Protection picked up a man Wednesday afternoon who had tattoos indicating he was a member of the notorious gang. The man was later turned over to the Sheriff’s Office, where the man was confirmed a member of MS-13, said Capt. Homer Flores Thursday morning.
Several other immigrants who are not part of MS-13, but may have witnessed the killing, are still held for questioning.
"We still have to interview some more witnesses before formalizing the charges and making the arraignments," he said. "We’re still deciding if it was murder one or capital murder. We need to find out if they took something from him."
This was the first time violence has erupted in Starr County in connection with immigrant smuggling, said Amando Peña Jr., manager of Riverview Family Center.
"I have heard people that live close to the river in the last day or so express concern about their safety because of gang members," Peña said. "These are people that live on streets close to the river. They are scared. These are elderly people who have no money to move, and nowhere to go. They are just asking for more police protection, more law enforcement."
Peña said that the government keeps talking about providing more security, but nothing seems to be happening.
"Quite often they are nowhere to be seen," he said. "The border is too big. The populated communities should get priority over rural areas for protection."
The U.S. Border Patrol has 1,500 agents responsible for 19 counties in the Rio Grande Valley, said Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Roy Cervantes. That area includes 320 river miles and 250 coastal miles.
Cervantes said he could not comment specifically on how the border patrol will adjust to the situation in Roma, but that apprehensions for fiscal year 2005 indicate their active enforcement thus far. Fiscal year 2005 began in October 2004.
"We are continuing to monitor the situation involving the MS-13 gang members," he said. "We’ve arrested 41 gang members in the sector who have been prosecuted and processed for deportation."Cervantes said when undocumented immigrants are convicted of crimes, the usual procedure is for them to serve their sentences before deportation.
___
Travis M. Whitehead covers Starr County, Mission, law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. You can reach him at (956) 683-4452.
I doubt it very much, Amando.
MS-13 Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
Bush, that's all US citizens are asking for.
A discussion on FREEREPUBLIC.com regarding a DALLAS MORNING NEWS article via KANSAS CITY STAR: "FBI BULLETIN OUTLINES POSSIBLE TERRORIST PLOT AT TEXAS BORDER" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The plot, according to uncorroborated information provided by an FBI informant, involves a man, described as an Arab who goes by the nickname "El Espanol," and Ernesto Zatarin Beliz, also known as El Traca, a reputed Mexican drug trafficker and member of the Zetas, the feared enforcers of the notorious Gulf cartel.") (July 17, 2005) (Read More...)
WorldNetDaily.com: Washington - "MEXICAN DRUG COMMANDOS EXPAND OPS IN 6 US STATES" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The ultra-violent, U.S.-trained elite, Mexican paramilitary commandos known as the "Zetas," responsible for hundreds of murders along the border this year, have expanded their enforcement efforts on behalf of a drug cartel by setting up trafficking routes in six U.S. states. A U.S. Justice Department memo says the U.S.-trained units have recently moved operations into Houston, San Antonio and the states of California, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. They have been operating in Dallas for at least two years, according to the feds.") (June 21, 2005) (Read More...)
A Discussion on FREEREPUBLIC.com regarding an AP article via KRON4.com: Washington - "CRACKDOWN NETS 103 MEMBERS OF HONDURAN GANG KNOWN AS MS-13" (Read More...)
Related link:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1461692/posts
"Police suspect MS-13s in death [Texas]"
The Monitor ^ | August 11,2005 | Travis M. Whitehead
Posted on 08/11/2005 6:15:31 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
"Alleged gang member held after ‘coyote’ found dead"
ROMA
ON THE NET...
FreeRepublic.com - Keyword Search: "MS13"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=ms13
FreeRepublic.com - Keyword Search: "GANGS"
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=gangs
Info Ping.
I think the coyotes ought to plan their smuggling routes straight through a certain ranch in Crawford, Texas.
Starr county has been the "reputed" home of drug smugglers for years.
Wasn't the sheriff was also indicted on some serious charges a few years ago, something about a killing of an hospitalized informant in a hospital in Mexico?
I think the coyotes ought to plan their smuggling routes straight through a certain ranch in Crawford, Texas
I'll bet the illegal policy would change pretty quickly.
That leathery, crunching noise you heard was Mr. Arbusto's Secret Service detail in Crawford tightening up......
The more info the better, keep after MS-13, and keep up the good work. These guys are not the "good guys" as most of us are all too keenly aware.
MS-13 definitely has to go.
I agree and thank you Bald Eagle777.
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