News (Media Awareness Project) - US FL: Miami DEA Official Calls El Paso Move Punishment |
| Title: | US FL: Miami DEA Official Calls El Paso Move Punishment |
| Published On: | 2001-03-26 |
| Source: | El Paso Times (TX) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-01 15:30:43 |
MIAMI DEA OFFICIAL CALLS EL PASO MOVE PUNISHMENT
A top Drug Enforcement Administration official in Miami is suing the
agency to stop his transfer to El Paso.
Sandalio Gonzalez, the DEA's second-in-command in South Florida, has
been told he'll become the special agent in charge in El Paso by
April 22, but he says he feels the transfer is a punishment for
reporting corruption and discrimination within the agency, according
to the lawsuit he filed Friday.
DEA officials denied wrongdoing, saying that becoming the head of an
entire field division in El Paso is a move that "99 percent of the
work force would consider an honor," DEA spokeswoman Catherine Shaw
said.
The current special agent in charge in El Paso, Robert Castillo,
could not be reached for comment.
Gonzalez is one of 16 top-level agency executives sent transfer
orders Jan. 18, two days before a six-month freeze on such moves was
instituted by President Bush's administration.
Gonzalez, who supervises about 300 agents in Miami, was ordered to
move to El Paso to run the office of about 150 agents and narcotics
detectives.
"Believe me, this was the last thing I wanted to do," Gonzalez said
of the lawsuit. "I'm convinced that if I were to accept a transfer to
anywhere new, I would have to spend whatever is left of my career
watching my back."
Gonzalez, a 29-year DEA veteran, has accused Miami DEA agents,
supervisors and federal prosecutors of covering up the disappearance
of 22 pounds of cocaine from a search, among other allegations.
Internal investigators found no wrongdoing.
El Paso is the headquarters of the new and beefed up New Mexico-West
Texas field division of the DEA, approved by U.S. Attorney General
Janet Reno six months ago to step up efforts on the front lines of
the war on drugs. The division counts 248 staff, including 104
special agents and 43 deputized state and local officers. The office
had only 40 agents four years ago.
From October 1999 to September 2000, El Paso-based DEA agents seized
more than 100,000 pounds of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and
methamphetamines -- with a total street value of $565.4 million.
El Paso Times reporter Louie Gilot contributed to this report.
A top Drug Enforcement Administration official in Miami is suing the
agency to stop his transfer to El Paso.
Sandalio Gonzalez, the DEA's second-in-command in South Florida, has
been told he'll become the special agent in charge in El Paso by
April 22, but he says he feels the transfer is a punishment for
reporting corruption and discrimination within the agency, according
to the lawsuit he filed Friday.
DEA officials denied wrongdoing, saying that becoming the head of an
entire field division in El Paso is a move that "99 percent of the
work force would consider an honor," DEA spokeswoman Catherine Shaw
said.
The current special agent in charge in El Paso, Robert Castillo,
could not be reached for comment.
Gonzalez is one of 16 top-level agency executives sent transfer
orders Jan. 18, two days before a six-month freeze on such moves was
instituted by President Bush's administration.
Gonzalez, who supervises about 300 agents in Miami, was ordered to
move to El Paso to run the office of about 150 agents and narcotics
detectives.
"Believe me, this was the last thing I wanted to do," Gonzalez said
of the lawsuit. "I'm convinced that if I were to accept a transfer to
anywhere new, I would have to spend whatever is left of my career
watching my back."
Gonzalez, a 29-year DEA veteran, has accused Miami DEA agents,
supervisors and federal prosecutors of covering up the disappearance
of 22 pounds of cocaine from a search, among other allegations.
Internal investigators found no wrongdoing.
El Paso is the headquarters of the new and beefed up New Mexico-West
Texas field division of the DEA, approved by U.S. Attorney General
Janet Reno six months ago to step up efforts on the front lines of
the war on drugs. The division counts 248 staff, including 104
special agents and 43 deputized state and local officers. The office
had only 40 agents four years ago.
From October 1999 to September 2000, El Paso-based DEA agents seized
more than 100,000 pounds of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and
methamphetamines -- with a total street value of $565.4 million.
El Paso Times reporter Louie Gilot contributed to this report.
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