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Suspect U.S. Border Patrol Agents Resign and Vanish (Brothers, Raul and Fidel Villarreal)
LA Times ^ | 7/1/06 | Richard Marosi

Posted on 07/01/2006 9:53:13 AM PDT by NormsRevenge

SAN DIEGO — Two U.S. Border Patrol agents under investigation for allegedly smuggling drugs and immigrants abruptly resigned and went into hiding this week after apparently being tipped off to the probe, according to federal law enforcement sources.

The agents — brothers Raul and Fidel Villarreal — were veteran officers who patrolled the border near San Diego and had been under suspicion since last year of smuggling illegal immigrants in their government vehicles, among other allegations, sources said.

They did not show up for work Monday and later notified supervisors that they had quit because of a family illness. But investigators suspect that someone tipped off the agents and that they may have left the country.

The disappearance threatens to derail the investigation, the latest in a string of unrelated corruption probes that have led to the indictments and convictions of several federal officers along the border.

"Somehow, somebody leaked it, and both resigned," said a source close to the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. "They left their badges and government credentials at their father's house…. Now they're in the … wind."

Damon Foreman, a spokesman for the Border Patrol in San Diego, confirmed that the agents had been under investigation for suspected smuggling activity and had submitted their resignations.

Raul Villarreal, 36, was the face of the Border Patrol in San Diego a few years ago when he was a spokesman and was interviewed regularly by Spanish-language media. Fidel, 32, worked in the mountains east of San Diego.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: 2006; agents; aliens; borderpatrol; california; resign; suspect; vanish; villarreal
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1 posted on 07/01/2006 9:53:16 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

Who's in charge of homeland security again?

Ridge, Chertoff?...the dippy broad with the General for an uncle?

hahahahah


2 posted on 07/01/2006 9:54:53 AM PDT by taxed2death (A few billion here, a few trillion there...we're all friends right?)
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To: NormsRevenge

Raul Villarreal, 36, was the face of the Border Patrol in San Diego a few years ago when he was a spokesman and was interviewed regularly by Spanish-language media. Fidel, 32, worked in the mountains east of San Diego.

--

This guy was 'the face of the Border Patrol'.. Ouch.

That is a slap in the face of every decent hard working Border Patrol agent. Find 'em and try 'em.


3 posted on 07/01/2006 9:55:23 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Help the "Pendleton 8' and their families --- http://www.freerepublic.com/~normsrevenge/)
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To: NormsRevenge

This is a direct result of quantity over quality.


4 posted on 07/01/2006 9:55:25 AM PDT by Marine Inspector (Government is not the solution to our problem; Government is the problem)
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To: NormsRevenge

Call me crazy, but I would double-check the references of brothers named "Fidel," and "Raoul," for Federal employment.
Please don't tell me they have another sibling named "Che!"


5 posted on 07/01/2006 9:56:11 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk ( Vote Fraud: The Democrats' Secret Weapon .... Well, secret to the RNC, anyway.)
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To: Marine Inspector

American employers can easily(EASILY)screen employees or potential ones. Why can't the government do the same?


6 posted on 07/01/2006 9:58:25 AM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (If you got Sowell, you got Soul !)
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To: NormsRevenge

"Find 'em and try 'em"

They better find the guy that tipped them off!


7 posted on 07/01/2006 9:59:38 AM PDT by dalereed
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To: Kenny Bunk

or a houseboy named Elian.


8 posted on 07/01/2006 9:59:44 AM PDT by gusopol3
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To: HiJinx

Border ping


9 posted on 07/01/2006 10:03:57 AM PDT by bkwells (Liberals=Hypocrites)
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To: dalereed

They found the VA laptop, this is one they definitely need to pursue, probably a higher up.. ;-)


10 posted on 07/01/2006 10:03:57 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Help the "Pendleton 8' and their families --- http://www.freerepublic.com/~normsrevenge/)
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To: NormsRevenge

Our government is really becoming a laughing stock. A party joke -- borders, soverignty, our Constituion, the SCOTUS, our laws, the Congress, the White House...let's all have a big laugh, all on the backs of the real U.S. citizen.


11 posted on 07/01/2006 10:06:58 AM PDT by EagleUSA
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To: EagleUSA
Our government is really becoming a laughing stock. A party joke -- borders, soverignty, our Constituion, the SCOTUS, our laws, the Congress, the White House...let's all have a big laugh, all on the backs of the real U.S. citizen.

You said it. They better get the guy who leaked it and make him/her an example. They also better find the brothers because they'll just end up becoming coyotes and drug smugglers themselves (as if they weren't already) especially since they know the routine. I'll also be the leaker and a few more buddies were in on the racket as well.

12 posted on 07/01/2006 10:17:33 AM PDT by mtbopfuyn (I think the border is kind of an artificial barrier - San Antonio councilwoman Patti Radle)
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To: bkwells; 1_Inch_Group; 2sheep; 2Trievers; 3AngelaD; 3pools; 3rdcanyon; 4Freedom; 4ourprogeny; ...

Thanks for the heads-up, Chief. Stories like this just make me shake my head...too many bad apples turning up.


13 posted on 07/01/2006 10:34:14 AM PDT by HiJinx (Have you hugged a soldier today? Try it, you'll like it.)
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To: NormsRevenge

As the corruption creeps northward. This country is in big trouble. We will see a marked increase in kidnappings, corruption of law enforcement and politicians, and eventually political assinations. This is the beauty of our government allowing this third world invasion.


14 posted on 07/01/2006 10:39:39 AM PDT by doc
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To: doc

There are recent claims to the effect that entire small cities are being taken over by corrupt Mexicans e.g. Huntington Park, Bell, Bell Gardens,California come to mind. Oh well! "Our Diversity Is Our Strength," there is "room at the table," we have "a big tent." We are seeing in such examples, and this recent example, the consequences of such catch words. A mere crossing of the border into America does not erase from the mind of the Mexican national the tradition of centuries of Mexican political corruption. God Help Us!


15 posted on 07/01/2006 10:50:27 AM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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To: NormsRevenge
"They left their badges and government credentials at their father's house…. Now they're in the … wind."

Anonymous source?
Shatner

16 posted on 07/01/2006 11:21:19 AM PDT by NewRomeTacitus (Changing illegal to legal equals choosing chaos over order.)
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To: NormsRevenge

Those rascals should be jailed when they're found and the key thrown away. Grubbing off the taxpayers money while committing these acts--Bah!


17 posted on 07/01/2006 11:30:16 AM PDT by lilylangtree
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To: NormsRevenge

We need more Border Patrol and far better screening. This is not the first scandal.


18 posted on 07/01/2006 12:21:26 PM PDT by Dante3
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To: Kenny Bunk
Call me crazy, but I would double-check the references of brothers named "Fidel," and "Raoul," for Federal employment.

Especially for work "protecting" the Mexican border!

Welcome to George W. Bush's Amerika where up is down, where black is white, and where nothing makes sense anymore.

19 posted on 07/01/2006 12:30:24 PM PDT by janetgreen
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To: Kenny Bunk
Please don't tell me they have another sibling named "Che!"

No, it's not "Che", it's "Pablo." LOL

20 posted on 07/01/2006 12:44:49 PM PDT by NRA2BFree (NEVER ARGUE WITH IDIOTS!!! THEY*LL DRAG YOU DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL AND BEAT YOU WITH EXPERIENCE!!!!)
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