DA WILL TRY DRUG CASES IN NEW DEAL

El Paso District Attorney Jaime Esparza said Monday that his office
will resume prosecuting federal drug cases Saturday under a new
agreement with federal officials.

Under the pact, El Paso and Hudspeth counties will be eligible to be
reimbursed for up to $4.2 million during the rest of the fiscal year
that ends Sept. 30.

Esparza is the district attorney for both counties.

"I'm very pleased with the agreement. It's been a long time coming,"
said Esparza, who worked for three years to get the federal
government to help pay border counties for prosecuting federally
generated drug cases.

In an important breakthrough, he said, the office of the U.S.
Attorney for the Western District of Texas also agreed to reimburse
El Paso for detention costs, which account for 75 percent of the
total cost.

"It was a huge concession on their part," Esparza said.

William Blagg, head of the U.S. attorney's office in San Antonio,
could not be reached for comment.

Esparza said his office tried about 700 federal drug cases last year,
in addition to hundreds of other drug cases his staff handled.

About 95 percent of the federal drug cases involved marijuana.

Esparza, who along with other border district attorneys stopped
taking federal cases late last year, said federal officials also
agreed to reimburse El Paso for prosecuting federal juvenile cases.

County Attorney Jose Rodriguez said he didn't attend the San Antonio
meeting but expects to get the details soon.

"Although we might not be getting reimbursed for full costs, at least
we're getting some reimbursement, and in this cash-strapped county,
every little bit helps," Rodriguez said.

Authorities have reported that the number of juveniles who smuggle
drugs across the border has grown since 1999.