ANOTHER SENTENCED IN CORRUPTION CASE

A copy-machine repairman caught in San Antonio's largest police corruption
case was given an 18-month sentence Thursday.

Albert Mata, who pleaded guilty late last year to charges of aiding in the
transportation of drugs, was one of two civilians collared in the FBI drug
sting that netted 10 San Antonio police officers last year. Most were
charged with similar charges of participating in a drug transaction that a
" unknown to them a " was staged by the FBI.

Court documents state that in 1998, an FBI informant paid Mata $1,000 to
fetch from an airport locker a duffel bag containing 13 pounds of what he
believed was cocaine.

In pleading for a short sentence on Thursday, Mata's attorney Jerry Rivera
pointed to his client's clean record and the fact that the incident at the
airport was his only role in the three-year undercover investigation.

After issuing the sentence, U.S. District Judge Ed Prado recommended that
Mata be enrolled in a boot camp program instead of serving time in prison.
Mata was allowed to leave the courthouse on bond until prison officials
decide where to place him.

Of the original 12 defendants, 10 entered guilty pleas and one was found
guilty at trial. Another, former sheriff's deputy Richard Rowlett "Bucky"
Buchanan, entered into an agreement known as pretrial diversion, meaning
his theft charge will be dropped if he successfully completes a year under
federal supervision.

Three of the defendants, Conrad Fragozo Jr., Lawrence Bustos and David
Anthony Morales, still are awaiting sentencing.