CRIMINAL CASES CLIMBING IN S. TEXAS FEDERAL COURTS

The number of criminal cases filed in federal courts in South Texas
dramatically increased in 1998, according to figures released this
week by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Federal indictments rose from 1,692 in fiscal 1997 to 2,945 this year,
a 74 percent increase. The numbers do not mean crime is running
rampant in South Texas, federal prosecutors said.

"We're not necessarily seeing an increase in crime, we're seeing an
increase in prosecutions," said Greg Serres, first assistant U.S.
attorney for the Southern District of Texas, which ranges from Houston
to Brownsville to Laredo.

The largest increase was in immigration cases, which jumped 93
percent, from 565 last year to 1,093 in the fiscal year that ended
Sept. 30.

The increase, Serres said, reflects a commitment by Attorney General
Janet Reno to focus on the border.

"There was a tremendous increase in (federal) agency resources along
the southwest border. And within our own office we've seen more of a
focus on border initiatives," Serres said.

Although the number of federal prosecutors in South Texas remained the
same -- about 135 -- several were reassigned from Houston to courts in
Brownsville, McAllen, Laredo and Corpus Christi. "We just have a
tremendous flow of alien immigration and drug cases in those areas
that required us to do that," Serres explained.

The number of South Texas prosecutors assigned to federal courts
outside of Houston, including the border, increased from 29 to 45, he
said.

Also, for the first time, U.S. Attorney James DeAtley appointed two
prosecutors in Houston to handle immigration cases full time.

"With our increased focus on the border area and the cooperation of
the (U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service), we've seen a huge
jump in the number of cases brought and prosecutions made," Serres
said.

"That has allowed us to prosecute illegal aliens who have violent
criminal histories and take them off the street. We don't do numbers
just for numbers' sake."

The second largest increase was in drug cases, which grew from 721 to
1,233, or 71 percent.

Serres pointed to several reasons, one being that beginning in October
1997, state prosecutors in Webb and Zapata counties along the border
stopped accepting cases involving drugs seized at federal bridges and
checkpoints. State prosecutors said they did not receive enough
federal assistance to handle the cases.

As a result, federal courts prosecuted 370 drug cases this year that
otherwise would have been tried in state courts.

Another reason is that DeAtley lowered the "threshold" for prosecution
in some cases.

For example, the U.S. Attorney's Office used to accept cases involving
five kilograms of cocaine or more. Smaller cases went to state courts.

Beginning this year, DeAtley has accepted cases involving half a
kilogram or more.

"We're being more receptive to (police) agencies. We want to let those
agencies know we're open for business," Serres said.

Violent crime cases, including bank robberies, rose 62.5 percent, from
80 cases to 130. Most violent crimes are prosecuted in state courts.

White-collar crime indictments increased 63 percent, from 71 to
116.

Serres said prosecutors are being more productive in those cases. "Is
there some kind of giant increase in white-collar crime? No," he said.

Serres said the statistics also do not mean that prosecutors are going
after insignificant cases just to boost numbers. As proof, he points
to the statistic that shows in 1998, 89.7 percent of defendants in

South Texas federal courts were sentenced to prison, the highest
percentage in the last seven years.

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady