COACH OF THE YEAR
WEDNESDAYJULY 11, 2018
FREE
TEXAS’ PIERCE EARNS HONOR, A8
FOURTH COURT OF APPEALS
DA retains $1.7M seized in raids Merits of illegal gambling case have yet to be decided by court By Joana Santillana ZA PATA T I ME S
An appellate court order released Monday reaffirmed Zapata County prosecutors’ right to retain $1.7 million worth of property and cash, obtained during a slew of maquinita raids in January, until they rule on the merits of the case. A combined $1.9 million was seized after au-
thorities raided Hilda Villarreal’s home in Zapata as well as six 8-liner establishments in Laredo, Zapata and Falcon Heights. Villarreal’s daughter, Rebecca Villarreal Lopez, along with Miriam Sanchez and Lucio Saldivar, were also arrested in connection to the illegal gambling case. Villarreal was charged with money laundering and could face up to life
in prison if convicted. The rest are all facing charges of gambling promotion and engaging in organized criminal activity. Villarreal Lopez is also charged with keeping a gambling place. Last month, Judge Susan Reed ruled that the 49th District Court in Zapata did not have jurisdiction to hear the case. This was all apparently due to a supposed filing
error, according to the defense. Reed gave prosecutors five H. days to Villarreal return all the seized items belonging to Villarreal, including $1.7 million, a watch, a rope necklace, a bracelet, two costume jewelry rings and five silver bars. After the judge made her ruling, the Webb and Zapata County District Attorney’s Office said that all of the documents filed
in relation to the case were identified and captioned as being filed in Zapata County. The office said the forfeiture petition, in compliance with the court’s order, was delivered to presiding Judge Sid Harle at his Bexar County office for record-keeping purposes, not because it was filed in that county. The prosecution then filed a notice of appeal, effectively putting a hold on the time-sensitive order. Their office said they would file the appeals brief within the next few weeks.
BORDER PATROL
District Attorney Isidro “Chilo” Alaniz said they would now wait for the appellate court to notify them as to whether they will have to go before the court to present oral arguments or if the court will review the records of the trial court. “This case is far from over,” he said. “We still stand by our position that we followed proper procedure in filing the case with the specially appointed judge. And that it was done in the proper jurisdiction.” Silverio Martinez, the Court continues on A11
HIGHER EDUCATION
AGENTS SEIZE 151 BUNDLES OF MARIJUANA
LCC is now Laredo College ZAPATA TIME S
Border Patrol / Courtesy photo
Border Patrol displays more than 1,700 pounds of marijuana that was recently seized near the Rio Grande in Zapata.
Estimated value of seizure listed at $1,379,392 ZA PATA T I ME S
Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents recently seized 1,724 pounds of marijuana after responding to suspicious activity near the Rio Grande in Zapata. Agents seized one vehicle, an en-
closed trailer, and 151 bundles of marijuana worth an estimated value of $1,379,392. The driver of the vehicle absconded from the scene. The marijuana was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration. “The Border Patrol is always vigilant
in trying to prevent the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. It is only through the hard work and dedication of our agents that we do continually and successfully do so,” said Laredo Sector Acting Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Anthony S. Good.
It’s official. Laredo Community College has transitioned to its new name, Laredo College, or LC. “The new college name will align Laredo College to the continuous changes occurring in higher education and remain competitive in our region,” LC said Tuesday. “As the name reflects that role, it also demonstrates a continuation of the essential character and values our college was built on.” In late May, LC trustees voted unanimously to drop “community” from the college’s name. Trustee Gilberto Martinez proposed the name change in January. LC says its new name reflects the educational institution’s evolving place in the world. It is also symbolic of what the college is destined for in the future, trustees said. Other two-year colleges throughout the state have modified their names to omit the word “community” as well. Nine similar-sized schools still bear the words “community” or “junior” in their names. “Right now we’re serving Jim Hogg, Zapata and Webb counties, but with this change it gives us more competitiveness in offering online courses to other parts of the state, so really it’s the technology aspect that is changing the times of our college and academics, vocational and continuing education programs,” said Rodney Rodriguez, LC executive director of strategic and external initiatives LC President Ricardo Solis said in May that four-year degree plans was something the college could potentially College continues on A11