6 exlawmen indicted

DONNA Six former law officers, including two police chiefs, have been
indicted on drug trafficking and corruption charges for allegedly
smuggling more than 1,700 pounds of marijuana into the country.

The indictments, issued by a federal grand jury in McAllen this week,
were unsealed Wednesday.

Named in three separate indictments were former Donna police chiefs
Clemente Garza Jr. and Antonio Lopez, who also served as a Hidalgo
County deputy constable; former Donna police Sgt. Homero Cisneros
Gallardo; former Donna police officers Modesto Gonzales Jr. and Pedro
Castillo; former La Villa police officer Raul Olivera Chapa; and Donna
animal control officer Valentin Gonzalez.

Donna, a town of about 13,500 people, is 12 miles east of McAllen near
the Mexico border. La Villa, a town of 1,500 people, is 12 miles
northeast of Donna.

Garza and Gallardo are accused of conspiring to help transport 1,000
pounds of marijuana from Mexico through Donna in 1995. Gallardo, Modesto
Gonzales, Castillo, Chapa and Lopez also are accused of conspiring to
distribute 250 pounds of marijuana on July 26, 1995, in Lopez's marked
police vehicle. Lopez, who was employed as a Hidalgo County deputy
constable at the time, received $5,000 for his part in the scheme,
according to the indictment. Gallardo was paid $9,500, while the other
officers received $1,000 each, the indictment alleges.

In another indictment, Valentin Gonzalez was charged with conspiring to
distribute 266 pounds of marijuana on Feb. 9, 1996, and 229 pounds of
marijuana on Feb. 16, 1996. Gonzalez was paid $2,625 for escorting the
drug loads in a marked police vehicle, the indictment alleges.