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ABORTION
Audio evidence Day two for two accused in Zeta murder-for-hire By PHILIP BALLI THE ZAPATA TIMES
The state presented multiple call sessions to the jury Tuesday that connected Nicolas Reyes-Sanchez, Jose Obregon and Pablo Cerda in day two of the trial of two men accused of carrying out hits on behalf of the Zetas. The federal wiretap evidence was provided by agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration. DEA Special Agent Amin Rosado said in his testimony that the DEA listened in on a conversation between Cerda and Reyes-Sanchez in which
Photo by Jerry Lara/San Antonio Express-News | AP
Anti-abortionist advocates Cynthia Serna, left, and Rosanne Keinath gather with others as they protest outside a fundraiser luncheon Monday in San Antonio.
they spoke of the alleged shooting of Fidencio Rios-Cardenas. Rosado also testified that Reyes-Sanchez was in charge of the enforcement side of the Zetas in Laredo and reported directly to Miguel “Z-40” Treviño Morales, who was captured by Mexican Marines in July. His testimony also allegedly tied Obregon to Reyes-Sanchez, including that Obregon would report to Reyes-Sanchez. The several call sessions presented to the jury involved conversations between Cerda, Reyes-Sanchez and Obregon
Group to open clinic OBREGON
See ZETA PAGE 10A
REYES-SANCHEZ
BORDER PATROL
HOMETOWN HERO
Photo by Danny Zaragoza | The Zapata Times
Laredo Border Patrol Agent Romualdo Barrera smiles after an interview with the media Tuesday afternoon outside the Laredo Sector Border Patrol Headquarters. Barrera was recognized during a press conference for rescuing a child who had crossed with others to the U.S. side but was too frail to continue. Barrera told the child he was “one of the good guys” and carried her to his unit headquarters.
Planned Parenthood will spend $5M on San Antonio clinic that adheres to rules ASSOCIATED PRESS
SAN ANTONIO — Planned Parenthood will open a $5 million abortion clinic in San Antonio that adheres to strict new standards adopted last year by Texas lawmakers, according to an official with the organization. Planned Parenthood South Texas President and CEO Jeffrey Hons said at a fundraising event Monday that the facility will follow new ambulatory surgical standards. He says $3.5 million has been raised so far for construction. An estimated 16 clinics across the state have closed since the new law went into effect, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Additional clinics are expected to close in the coming months. The law includes a stipulation that clinic doctors have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. Critics of the law say women’s access to legal abortions has been severely limited. The Rio Grande Valley, for example, is now without a clinic. “For those women who will have to scrape together the money for the bus ride from the Rio Grande Valley or Odessa or San Angelo, we will be there for her,” Hons said at the event, which included a talk by actress Diane Keaton. Women seeking abortions make up “just a very small number of all our clients,” Hons told the audience of 1,300. The new clinic will be the only Planned Parenthood facility in San Antonio that is also a surgical center, spokeswoman Mara Posada said, explaining that a private center currently operates the only ambulatory surgical center in the city.
See CLINIC PAGE 10A
STATE CRIME
5 charged in Houston smuggling operation By MICHAEL GRACZYK ASSOCIATED PRESS
HOUSTON — Five men, at least two of them from Mexico, are accused of using guns and threats to hold 115 people hostage in a small Houston house unless they paid ransom to continue their illegal entry into the United States. A criminal complaint from Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Andres Garcia Jr. said the people, discovered last week crammed into the home of less than 1,300 square feet, were stripped of their shoes and most of their clothing to keep them from escaping. They also were threatened with violence if they did not comply and there were instances of some being kicked and beaten and females being groped, the complaint said. One pregnant girl was among people struck with a wood-
One woman from El Salvador, Dilcia Jimenez-Alvarado, said she left a month ago for New York, had paid about $7,500 to be smuggled but was told in Houston she needed to pay $5,000 more. en paddle. The five men — Jose Aviles-Villa, Jonathan Solorzano-Tavila, Antonio Barruquet-Hildiberta, Jose Cesmas-Borja and Eugenio Sesmas-Borja — stood handcuffed and shackled during a brief court appearance Tuesday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Frances Stacy on hostage-taking, weapons and conspiracy charges. “This is an alien smuggling case, basically, where a firearm was used in connection with this offense,” Stacy told them. “Your
lawyer can more fully describe the accusations against you.” One of the men wore shorts, others were in jeans. All listened on headphones as the proceedings were translated for them into Spanish. Stacy reviewed questionnaires that indicated all had wives and children. She agreed to a request from each for a court-appointed attorney. The judge specified the attorney be Spanishspeaking but denied immediate bail because the defendants were considered a flight risk.
A bond hearing was set for Thursday. The defendants also were entitled to a probable cause hearing, she said. Conviction on the hostage-taking charge carried up to a life prison term and $250,000 fine, federal prosecutor Julie Searle said. Convictions on the weapons charge could result in up to 10 years in prison and conspiracy up to 20 years, plus fines, she said. Aviles-Villa and Cesmas-Borja told Houston police they were from Mexico and in the U.S. ille-
gally, according to the criminal complaint. The immigration status of the three other men was not immediately clear. One of the people held hostage told authorities Solorzano-Tavila appeared to be the person in charge at the stash house, where smugglers bring the people they’ve brought into the U.S. illegally and keep them until they or their family members pay a ransom. Captives told authorities they were held under armed guard. Doors were locked with dead bolts and windows were covered with plywood. A wood paddle, stun gun, ammunition, shotgun and rifle were found at the home, according to the criminal complaint. Aviles-Villa and Cesmas-Borja were in a car that had left the house that police pulled over be-
See SMUGGLING PAGE 10A