FLASH
Man
Who Bribed Sheriff Ralph
Lopez
Perishes In Plain Crash
Pat
LeBlanc Dead
SAL Political Snitch 8-11-2008
Pat LeBlanc, whose golfing gift
disgraced Bexar County Sheriff Ralph Lopez, died in a
plane crash Monday night -- even as a Federal
Investigation continued. (See story below from The
Journal-Gazette.)
2 Dead
In Plane Crash In Vermilion
A
single-engine airplane crashed in Vermilion
Parish, killing the pilot and a passenger,
authorities said.
The
plane went down late Monday near state Highway 82
about five miles north of Abbeville, Vermilion
Parish Sheriff Mike Couvillon said.
The
passenger was identified Tuesday as businessman
and former legislative candidate Pat Leblanc, 53,
of Youngsville. The pilot, Solomon Reed, 60, of
Opelousas, also was killed.
The
flight, which originated in Jackson, Miss., was
en route to Lafayette, the sheriff said.
The
plane crashed in a rural area near a natural gas
storage facility owned by Flow Petroleum Services
Inc. Tanks at the facility were examined and
found to be safe, the sheriff said. No one on the
ground was injured.
The
National Transportation Safety Board will
investigate the cause of the crash.
LeBlanc
was co-owner of LCS Corrections Services, which
operates private jails.
LeBlanc,
a failed politician, has been under scrutiny by the
FBI for practices in procuring prison contracts in
Texas.
More
to follow.
- Developing -
Previous
Stories Archived Below In Reverse Order
* * *
EX-SHERIFF LOPEZ
SNITCHES
Reynolds
Pleads Guilty In Jail Scam
Lopez Pal To Serve
10 years; Louisiana
LeBlanc Boys Could Be
Listed On The Feds Menu
Jim Forsythe, WOAI Radio
John
Reynolds, long time friend and campaign manager for
former Bexar County sheriff Ralph Lopez and the man
who set up the deal with a Louisiana management
company that forced Lopez' resignation pled guilty
today to third degree felony theft, 1200 WOAI news
reports. (Click for More)
Express-News Account
See archives below, in reverse
order.
* * *
LEBLANC
CONTRACT CANCELED
Rolando
Tafolla Named Interim Sheriff
Premier's
Commissary 'Privileges' Pulled
LeBlanc Watch 9-20-2007
FROM THE
EXPRESS-NEWS
After six hours and five
candidate interviews, Bexar County commissioners on
Wednesday voted to appoint longtime Chief Deputy
Rolando R. Tafolla as interim sheriff.
Tafolla pleased commissioners
when he told them Wednesday he had already reached a
mutual agreement with Premier Management Enterprises,
a Louisiana jail services company, to terminate its
operation of the jail commissary. The contract with
Premier sparked an ongoing public corruption
investigation that forced the resignation of former
Sheriff Ralph Lopez on Aug. 31.
To his advantage, Tafolla also
had the backing of both deputy unions and a detailed
plan to put more deputies on the street at no
additional cost to taxpayers, reduce call response
times and continue to shrink the bloated jail
population. (More from Express-News)
* * *
LEBLANC BRIBERY SCANDAL
'We'll Sue You!'
LeBlanc
Doesn't Think He's A Crook
Men
Who Bribed Bexar's Ex-Sheriff Try To Dominate Media
& More
SAL Political Snitch - PART THREE OF A SERIES
- Copyright 9-19-2007
A
POLITICIAN SHOULD KNOW
Patrick
LeBlanc is offended by implications that he did
anything wrong in the payoffs given to disgraced
Bexar Sheriff Ralph Lopez, and his spokesperson
claims he is suing Express-News for "liable and
slander," though the slander part doesn't really
make sense. Slander is spoken.
Leblanc
and his brother Michael run commissaries in several
states including Texas, and they also own the 14th
largest private prison system in the US. The boys
apparently smell nothing stinky with funneling money
and gifts to sheriffs who help them secure lucrative
contracts. (Scroll down for archived stories in
reverse order.)
In Texas,
sheriffs make the call on such privatized county
penal operations. Such gifts and laundered money
brought down Lopez and his gang.
San
Antonio's John Reynolds, a Lopez crony and conman,
acted as go between in the shady dealings. He is
expected to be tagged by a grand jury soon. (See
background stories below.)
* * *
WHOOPS
Patrick
LeBlanc should be concerned about his image.
He is
currently running for Louisana State Rep 43. His
ticket calls for ethics reform and corruption
busting.
I
am a conservative who believes in the free market
and personal responsibility. I believe that
political corruption not only costs us
financially but it robs us of our confidence in
government. - From
Leblanc Campaign Website
Whoops!
* * *
 |
|
Another whoops is the
escape of a high-level drug mobster named Francisco Meza-Rojas.
He is
a dirty ex-cop from Mcallen who escaped from
a Leblanc Prison one year ago. He is
still at large.
There
are many questions about the escape,
including the fortuitous failure of an
electrical fence the night of the incident. |
Besides the series of Whoopses, LeBlanc
has some further explaining to do, concerning his
ties to Louisiana's convicted ex-governor Edwin
Edwards. Edwards was found guilty of -- Whoops --
bribery.
* * *
Meanwhile, no word from pal Rudy
Giuliani who has visited with the LeBlancs in their
home town of Lafayette, and who has accepted large
donations from LeBlanc businesses, family members and
friends .(Click for
contributors list.)
So far Rudy has zipped it. Pat LeBlanc's
campaign has made noises hinting that more of
"the San Antonio press" could soon be on
the suit-happy rack.
The following is a recording of a
conversation with a LeBlanc campaign manager. An MP3
player is required.
Click here. Be sure to note
the song playing on the hold button.
Whoops, once again.
Those mentioned in this story are
offered free unedited space in this publication to
respond.
More to follow.
- Developing -
* * *
MORE STRANGE TALES
FROM LOUISIANA
'Fancy Nancy's Other Shoes'
The
Rudy Giuliani Connection
LeBlanc
Boys' Plan To Control
Private Prisons, Big Donors To Rudy
SAL Political Snitch - PART TWO OF A SERIES -
Copyright 9-11-2007
FROM THE DANGLING SHOE
FILE
The LeBlanc Brothers
of Louisiana -- involved in the bridbery scandal that
brought down Ex-Sheriff Ralph Lopez -- have been
linked to campaign contributitions also made to
Presidential Contender Rudy Giuliani.
Ex-Sheriff Ralph Lopez
and his wife Nancy have agreed to work with
prosecutors and investigators, in exhange for a plea
deal. (See stories below.)
The LeBlancs own a
private prison system throughout Texas, Louisiana and
Alabama, and have been criticized by some officials
for lax supervision and shoddy operations.
That company is called
LCS.
Another
company controlled by their family is Premier
Management, the outfit which "gifted" Lopez
and "contributed" money to charitable
events, which eventually ended up in bank accounts
controlled by Nancy Lopez and known scam artist and
Lopez crony John Reynolds.
While everyone has
been waiting for more on the case, citizens in
Lafayette, Louisiana have contacted the Lightning to
complain of an information blackout in their home
town. One woman familiar with the LeBlancs says there
is a "real fear" in Lafayette of the
LeBlancs. "These are powerful men and they are
unscrupulous," she says.
Some citizens have
hinted to the Lightning at a "mob
conection" which includes imprisoned former
governor Edwin Edwards, who was convicted of bribery.
* * *
POLITICAL
CONSIDERATIONS
Pat LeBlanc is currently running for the
State House in his district. He does indeed have
powerful friends, including Rudy Giuliani, who is
currently running for US President.
So close is Giuliani to the LeBlanc
boys, that he attended a fundraiser at Patrick
LeBlanc's home earlier this year. He has also
received numerous campaign contributions from LeBlanc
friends, families and companys.
(Click for
contributors list.)
* * *
Meanwhile, back in Texas, other
Sheriffs, jails and prisons tied to the LeBlancs are
under increasing scrutiny. One Leblanc operated
Federal Prison has yet to figure out how a
high-ranking drug dealer from South Texas managed to
escape, the same night the prison electrified fence
"accidentally" went down.
* * *
BOOTS ARE MADE FOR
WALKING
There is much more to this story to
follow. And we will tell it all to you, as this
series progresses.
And yes, we still expect the Sheriff's
wife's "other shoe" to drop. Dainty as it
may be, it could also be a steel toed boot.
More to follow.
- Developing-
* * *
-
Previous Stories Archived In Reverse Order -
SINGING
LOUDLY
Sheriff
Lopez Gets A Sweet Plea
Deal,
Wife Nancy Granted Immunity
9-3-2007
Bexar
County Sheriff Ralph Lopez entered a plea of "no
contest" to three criminal charges Tuesday.
According
to court documents, Sheriff Lopez accepted a plea
deal with the District Attorney's office and is now
officially convicted on three charges.
"First
of all, he was not the victim of any witch hunt. He
was a perpetrator of offenses in our county,"
said Bexar County District Attorney Susan Reed.
The
charges against Sheriff Lopez all stemmed from a
questionable trip to Costa Rica. That trip was paid
for by the company Lopez hired to run commissaries in
the jail. (More)
* * *
-
Previous Stories Below -
THE
LOPEZ SCANDAL IS FAR FROM OVER
'...But
Everyone Knew Her As Nancy'
SAL Political Snitch - Part One Of A Series -
Copyright 9-3-2007 San Antonio Lightning Newspaper
"Her
name was Magill, and she called herself Lil, but
everyone knew her as Nancy" - From the
Beatle's Rocky Raccoon
As the
shady era of shady Sheriff Ralph Lopez collapses upon
its shady self, more questions are being raised than
are being answered.
The
Lightning has learned that the Sheriff's resignation
and a proposed plea agreement were hastened by a need
to get wife Nancy's girdle off the griddle and back
into the ice box. (See previous stories below.)
John
Reynolds, a known conman, crony and campaign director
for Lopez, and now soon-to-be-gaffed fall guy, is
also key to the mysteries.
Meanwhile,
Ralph is poised to sing like Pavarotti in his prime,
and hoof it like Fred Astaire on methamphetamines..
Reynolds
and Nancy are scheduled to follow that performance
with their version of "Dancing With The
Scars."
Revelations
aplenty are in the offing. More on that in Part Two.
* * *
Meanwhile,
the two Louisiana brothers, Michael and Patrick
LeBlanc, have been spared much public scurtiny,
though their ties to the bribery scandal are obvious
and suspicious.
They
are the brass hats at Premier Management Enterprises.
That is the generous commissary company that ignited
the bonfire of insanities, and awarded Lopez and
Reynolds a Costa Rican golfing extravaganza when PME
got the lucrative Bexar commissary contract.
They
also "donated" charity money that
eventually ended up in the Lopez campaign fund.
What
is not generally known about the LeBlanc boys is that
they control numerous commissaries in Texas, AND they
run dozens of private jails in three states,
including Texas, under another company called LCS
Corrections Services, Inc.
As we
will show you in coming days, LCS is still trying to
explain how a suspected high level Mexican dope
dealer "escaped" a year ago from one of
their South Texas prisons. Some hint at an inside
job. The suspect is still at large.
Oh.
And Patrick LeBlanc is running for the Louisiana
State House.
More
later.
* * *
Back to Nancy.
She has yet to explain why her snazzy
Corvette was registered to the house next door, and
what her connection is to those occupants.
Also of note, we have been unable to
locate ANY pictures of the Sheriff's wife.
The Lightning asks its readers to
forward such photos of Nancy to Editor@SanAntonioLightning.Com.
Of particular interest would be shots of
Nancy with John Reynolds or the LeBlanc brothers.
* * *
All parties mentioned in this story are
offered free, unedited space to respond.
More to follow in Part Two..
- Developing -
* * *
SEARCH FOR NEW SHERIFF IS ON
Sheriff
Rafael 'Ralph' Lopez
Submits
His Letter Of Resignation
NEWS 12 / NEWS 4 / EXPRESS-NEWS 8-38-3008
Express-News Photo
|
|
.SAL
EXCLUSIVE
The Mystery Of
Nancy's 'Bad Corvette'
Did Sheriff Lopez 'Slick'
Investigators During Bribery Search Warrant
Raid?
SAL Political Snitch - Copyright
2007 SAL |
(Editor's
Note: Our apologies to Wilson Pickett of
"Mustang Sally" fame.)
Corvette Nancy
(da da da da) Guess you'd better slow your checkbook
down! (da da da da)...Corvette Nancy now baby (da da)
Guess you'd better slow your check book down! (da da
da da) You've been writing all over this town now
baby..Time to put your checkbook feet on the ground
(da da da da)..
Odd
notes on the Lopez Bribery Scandal
It
just keeps getting worse for Sheriff Ralph Lopez and
his gang. (See stories below.)
By
now, most interested parties are aware of the
blizzard of search warrants that have blown through
the Bexar Sheriff's scandal-clouded administration.
What
is not generally known is some of the background info
that has not been released.
Here's
an example.
As
first reported Friday in the Lightning, Feds, Rangers
and the DA's office raided the Lopez family
homestead, based in part, on Nancy Lopez'
relationship with known conman and close Sheriff's
buddy John Reynolds.
We
could list the many Items demanded in these latest
search warrant affadavits, but it is easier to list
what wasn't sought -- the kitchen sink.
During
that search the Express-News got a now-famous shot of
Nancy's Corvette, which it appears was paid for in
cash -- $45,755.
But
the odd part is that, according to DMV records, the
car was registered to the house next door,
at 6203 Forest Rose -- Plate
Number M36TZM
The
owners of the car are listed as Rafael and Nancy L
Lopez.
Yet,
their other cars are listed to 6200 Forest
Rose.
The
6203 address is a home belonging to Kenneth Craig Squier. He was
unavailable for comment.
* * *
Adriana Biggs, Chief
of White Collar Crimes at the Bexar County DA's
Office, eventually said that she hadn't heard that.
In a phone call a few minutes later she said
investigators knew it all along, but didn't have
enought evidence to warrant a search.
"Did they
(investigators) ask Mr Squire for a voluntary consent
to search?"
"No, to my
knowledge he was never contacted by
(investigators)," Ms Biggs said.
* * *
Meanwhile,
the Snitch has gotten foul wind of countermeasures
being launched from the Sheriff's fortress.
A
whispering campiagn "aimed at his
opponents" will seek to pour more water on the
mud, as Lopez operatives will begin
"leaking" tales of sexual impropriety,
alcoholism and other nasty deeds -- political and
otherwise -- engaged in by his cruel inquisitors.
It will
be the oldest chapter in the book of tricks.
It will
be the moral equivalent of "look, a
rabbit!"
- Developing -
More to follow.
* * *
LOUISIANA SIDE OF SCANDAL
'Hey
Sheriff, Do You Want Some Candy?'
Lopez'
'Benefactor' Denounces Public Corruption;
Runs
For Lafayette, Louisiana State Representative
Officials
Look Into Jail Commissary Candy Company Business
Dealings
Lafayette Daily Advertiser 8-28-2007
* * *
BAD AND WORSE
A Bexar
Trap
The Worst Is
Yet To Come ForBexar
County''s
'Crooked Sheriff' And His Cronies
SAL Political Snitch 8-24-2007
The FBI is now an
active participant in the growing scandal at the
Sheriff's office, and they helped Friday in a search
warrant raid at the Lopez' home in Leon Valley. (Click for
Express-News account.)
As predicted in the
Lightning, many days ago, the criminal probe into
bribery of Bexar County Sheriff Ralph Lopez is
intensifying, and the shady lawman may soon be eating
at a commisary similar to the one he "sold"
to Louisiana based Premier Management Enterprises for
cash and an early tee time in Costa Rica.
(See stories below.)
Also, as predicted
here, a new tactic has been exposed. Blame an
accomplice, John Reynolds.
Gold and golf
obviously trump integrity. What's the Sheriff's
handicap? His wife Nancy and accomplice Reynolds --
some say there is more to it than that.
More to follow.
- Developing -
* * *
Previous Stories Below
END OF THE LINE?
Bexar Sheriff
Lopez Considers Resignation
Widening Probe
Could Include Federal Charges
Tattler
In The Ranks Cooperating With Authorities?
SAL
Political Snitch - Photo By Walker
Report - August 24, 2007
As reported in the
Lightning yesterday, and confirmed by Express-News
today, the scandal at the Bexar County Sheriff's
Office is rapidly widening. (SEE: DA
Details Allegations In Lopez Jail Bribe Case)
Now,
the Lightning has learned, Sheriff Ralph Lopez is
considering resignation as a means to halt the ever
growing criminal probe which could soon include
Federal charges -- wire fraud, money laundering and
racketeering possibly among them.
Insiders
expect Lopez, his wife Nancy and front man John
Reynolds to likely seek deals with authorities that
would show Lopez out of office, but keep his gang out
of prison.
So
far, the scandal includes Lopez, his check writing
wife Nancy, and John Reynolds; and it is blooming to
include other jail officials and employees. At least
one of the latter is rumored to be, secretly,
cooperating with investigators.
Here's how the double
shuffle worked, according to Express-News accounts:
(in) the
scheme outlined in a search warrant affidavit,
John Reynolds used a fake charity account with
the Optimists name to deposit checks from the
contractor, Premier Management Enterprises, which
Reynolds had helped to win lucrative jail
contracts. Over time, Reynolds transferred
thousands of dollars into his private bank
account for personal use. Once investigators
started to follow the money trail, Reynolds
concocted the scholarships, the DA alleges.
For years
Reynolds has been as closely connected to the
Sheriff's administration and campaigns as the Top
Cop's sidearm.
It is an
odd relationship that has seen Lopez support Reynolds
through numerous scandals and scrapes.
From the
E-N:
"I
trust John," Lopez said of his longtime
campaign manager, former chief of staff and
inveterate golfing buddy.
"If
his integrity has been injured, I go back to my
Marine Corps training: You don't leave your
injured troops behind."
It wasn't
the first time the county's top law enforcement
officer stood by his man.
Reynolds,
a 65-year-old Vietnam veteran and political
consultant who began working for the sheriff
years ago, has spent much of his adult life
fending off charges of ethical lapses.
In 1993,
Republican County Court-at-Law Judge Shay
Gebhardt sued Reynolds, claiming he and other
Democrats forged signatures on a petition that
would have helped a candidate run against her.
Lopez
stood by Reynolds.
The
sheriff kept him close in subsequent re-election
campaigns and appointed him to law
enforcement-related nonprofit boards.
A decade
later, Reynolds was accused in an affidavit of
taking $2,000 meant to pay off a trustee of Alamo
Community Colleges.
Lopez
stood by Reynolds again.
And just
last week, a court record revealed the Bexar
County district attorney's office is
investigating Reynolds as it looks into a
lucrative county contract that Premier Management
Enterprises received to run the jail's commissary
service in 2005.
Among the
prosecutors' accusations: About the time the
sheriff-appointed board on which Reynolds served
was awarding the contract, Reynolds began
accepting checks from Premier.
The checks
— made out to charities and his computer
analysis company — were deposited in bank
accounts Reynolds set up as "fronts or
shells."
The
investigators also found unreported deposits to
and withdrawals from the sheriff's campaign
funds.
Lopez will publicly cite his laudable
loyalty as the reason he kept the demonstrably
tainted Reynolds at his side.
Of course, the other side of that worn
out, long playing record is that if he has to fling
Reynolds under the cop car, Lopez can blame his
"loyalty" as the blind spot in the mirror.
Lopez will continue to paint the scandal
as "political."
*
* *
And then,
there is another question that arises.
Is there
more in play than just loyalty? Does Reynolds know
something about the Sheriff that makes this
particular scammer immune to the slings and arrows?
Who
REALLY runs the Sheriff's office?
More
to follow.
- Developing -
* *
*
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