STATE'S TOP NARC INDICTED

Corruption Charges Give Squad A 'Black Eye'

In the dangerous shadowland of undercover police work, where street-wise
cops pretend to be pals with thugs and gangsters, Guadalupe Davila was
known as one of the best.

His supervisors in an elite Arizona anti-gang unit have praised him for an
uncanny ability to infiltrate the tightest gangs, bust up drugs rings, and
shut down operators dealing explosives and guns.

But on Wednesday the bearded 32-year-old undercover officer was indicted by
a federal grand jury on corruption charges.

The indictment, which has been sealed while the investigation continues,
alleges that Davila stole money intended for undercover work against drug
dealers, sources say.

But details about Davila's suspected crime -- how much money was involved
and how long it lasted -- were unavailable. It also was unclear Thursday
who else may be targets in the ongoing investigation into one of the most
secret, high-risk areas of police work.

Davila, a detective with the Goodyear Police Department assigned to the
state's Gang Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission (GITEM) task force, wore
handcuffs and a prisoner's striped uniform Thursday in his initial
appearence before a federal magistrate in Phoenix. The hearing, in which a
prisoner is informed of the charges against him, was closed to the public.

Federal prosecutors refused to comment on the case. But word of Davila's
indictment stunned those who have worked with the Phoenix native and
graduate of Glendale's Independence High School.

"I can't hardly believe it -- it just breaks my heart," said Donna Neill,
a community leader in the Westwood neighborhood of west-central Phoenix.

"Lupe is the kind of person that you trust, and you know that if you have a
problem, you can call him for help and he'll be there," Neill said. "He was
so concerned about the youth, about the pressures that kids face today with
all the gangs."

A member of the GITEM squad who worked with Davila and asked not to be
identified said, "We're all shocked by this. It's a black eye for everybody
here."

Davila became a sworn peace officer in 1990 when he joined the state
Department of Public Safety. He was later a member of the Jerome Police
Department before joining the Goodyear department in 1994.

Davila was hired as a patrol officer and became a detective when he was
assigned to the GITEM task force. He later was assigned to the
gang-targeting unit within the task force, an elite unit of hand-picked
undercover officers who go after hard-core gang members.

That unit worked with the FBI, investigating cases across the state and
country.

By all accounts, Davila was a master at infiltrating gangs. Fluent in
Spanish and wise in the ways of the street, he went undercover with gangs
suspected of murder and dealing in drugs, stolen cars, explosives and
automatic weapons.

Davila's operations were well-planned and designed to minimize risk,
according to a supervisor's account. He was described as being able to
switch gears at a moment's notice to take on any assignment.

And when the task force needed a volunteer to make a "cold buy" -- a risky
job of buying drugs from an unknown person -- officers could always count
on Davila, according to personnel reports.

"You are always willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done," one
supervisor said last December in a written review.

That drive led to a handful of notable assignments for Davila throughout
the Valley and state, according to his personnel file.

In one operation, Davila infiltrated a Phoenix street gang, gathering
evidence that led to the indictment of the top 10 suspects in the gang. In
another, he helped break up a crack cocaine ring in Flagstaff, a bust that
led to the indictment of 13 people.

In still another operation, he took on a California gang in Kingman
suspected of dealing drugs and shooting a resident in the head. According
to his GITEM supervisor, the work led to conviction of the gang leaders on
charges of attempted murder and drug dealing.

Another bust of 35 hard-core members of a Valley gang prompted a letter
from the Maricopa County Attorney's Office praising Davila for his
"professionalism, dedication and work ethic."

DPS Capt. David Gonzales, former commander of the GITEM squad, described
Davila as an "outstanding" officer with an "excellent work ethic."

Goodyear police spokesman Lt. Mark Brown said Davila was "a very good
employee for us here."

He said Davila is on paid administrative leave. The Police Department has
asked the DPS to conduct an internal investigation into the allegations, in
addition to the federal probe.