SHERIFF SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR THEFT, COVER-UP SCHEME

SAN ANTONIO - The Frio County sheriff who stole money seized by his
department, then tried to cover it up by selling marijuana, was sentenced
to 10 years in prison Monday.

Federal investigators praised the sentence given Sheriff Carl Henry Burris,
53, as a sign that no one, particularly a law enforcement officer, is above
the law.

"The corruption of any law enforcement officer is a tragic day for our
criminal justice system, particularly when it represents the corruption of
a high-ranking officer," FBI Special Agent in Charge Roderick L. Beverly
said in a statement.

U.S. District Judge H.F. "Hippo" Garcia ordered Sheriff Burris to serve 10
years and one month in federal prison for his guilty plea of conspiracy to
steal federal funds and distribute marijuana. Ten years was the minimum
prison sentence possible.

Sheriff Burris will also be placed under supervised release for five years
after his prison term, which begins Feb. 15. He will remain free on $50,000
bail until then. Frio County Judge Carlos A. Garcia said Chief Deputy Alex
Torres would serve the remaining two weeks of the sheriff's term in the
jurisdiction, 45 miles southwest of San Antonio. Sheriff Burris lost his
re-election bid to Democrat Lionel Trevino, who takes office Jan. 1.

"This is just a sad thing," Judge Garcia said. "What he did was morally and
legally wrong. But you just hate to see things like this happen."

Sheriff Burris pleaded guilty in October to a charge of conspiracy to
distribute marijuana and one charge of theft of federal program funds.

The two-term lawman was arrested in December 1998 on charges he took $5,900
of $11,700 one of his deputies seized as possible drug money in November
1994 from two motorists after a routine traffic stop.

Sheriff Burris used it for personal expenses, including a trip to Florida.

To cover up the missing funds in reports to the federal government, the
sheriff admitted he took 262 pounds of marijuana from his evidence locker
and solicited someone to sell it. The sheriff received about $5,300 from
the sale.

His partner, however, was working with FBI agents as part of a sting
operation. FBI officials said they are investigating the case with Drug
Enforcement Administration agents, U.S. Customs Service investigators and
the Texas Rangers.