Post by KC on Jul 22, 2006 23:08:24 GMT -5
July 22, 2006 - 7/22/06 - LAREDO, TX - The deputy commander of a narcotics task force who accepted tens of thousands of dollars to protect drug dealers pleaded guilty to extortion charges today.
Officer Julio Alfonso Lopez, 45, pleaded guilty to conspiring to extort money from drug traffickers.
An accomplice, 32-year-old Meliton Valadez, was convicted for his role as Lopez's middle man with the traffickers.
Federal investigators accused Lopez of using his position to ensure safe passage of drugs through sparsely populated Zapata County along the Mexican border.
They said that beginning in 2005 at least four payments totaling $44,500 were made to Valadez, who was acting as Lopez's middle man.
The men also were accused of giving traffickers sensitive police information and providing a place to store cocaine. Lopez allegedly used his position to divert task force officers away from places where drugs were loaded.
The men, both of Zapata, Texas, are awaiting a sentencing date. Lopez, who remains free on bond pending the sentencing hearing, faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=state&id=4390105
Officer Julio Alfonso Lopez, 45, pleaded guilty to conspiring to extort money from drug traffickers.
An accomplice, 32-year-old Meliton Valadez, was convicted for his role as Lopez's middle man with the traffickers.
Federal investigators accused Lopez of using his position to ensure safe passage of drugs through sparsely populated Zapata County along the Mexican border.
They said that beginning in 2005 at least four payments totaling $44,500 were made to Valadez, who was acting as Lopez's middle man.
The men also were accused of giving traffickers sensitive police information and providing a place to store cocaine. Lopez allegedly used his position to divert task force officers away from places where drugs were loaded.
The men, both of Zapata, Texas, are awaiting a sentencing date. Lopez, who remains free on bond pending the sentencing hearing, faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=state&id=4390105