EXCLUSIVE: Convicted Rocksprings Sheriff Deputy Gilmer Hernandez speaks from behind bars
By SW TEXAS LIVE
Special to LIVE! Edwards County Deputy Sheriff Gilmer Hernandez was led into a holding room near the Geo Group-managed prison in Del Rio, Texas for our interview Friday afternoon, March 9. He was shackled in red, metal handcuffs and dressed in a bright orange jumpsuit and booties. Hernandez is awaiting sentencing from a federal judge scheduled for March 19, 2007 that could send him to a federal penitentiary for ten years.
The prison, referred to as the Val Verde County Detention Center, has seen some of the most notorious criminals in the United States pass through it. Mass murderer Tommy Lynn Sells stayed here during his trial for murdering 13-year old Kaylene "Katy" Harris in 1999 before being transferred to death row after his conviction. Adorning the doors are posters depicting the various tattoos of Mexican gangs, the pictures taken of the bodies of actual inmates in the prison.
Situated approximately 10 miles from the International Bridge separating Del Rio from Ciudad Acuña, Coahilla, Mexico, this is the lock-up for indicted suspects and convicted felons in the illegal drug trade and human trafficking along the Texas-Mexico border. It is also the detention center serving the U.S. Federal District Court, Western District of Texas, Del Rio, one of the busiest federal courts in the nation. The majority of the court’s convictions are for federal narcotics violations, illegal entry, and human trafficking.
But Deputy Hernandez isn’t in jail for dealing drugs, gang-banging, or trafficking illegal aliens.
Hernandez is in jail following his conviction for violating the civil rights of an illegal alien, Maricela Rodriguez Garcia, who suffered a minor wound from the barrel of Hernandez’s gun as she laid hidden, stuffed in the rear cargo compartment of a Chevrolet Suburban that Hernandez had pulled over on a routine traffic stop.
Friday, Gilmer Hernandez, under the watchful eye of two armed guards, told me he grew up in Rocksprings. “All my life, I’ve wanted to help people. And it’s always been my dream to be in law enforcement,” Hernandez said.
The 1999 graduate of Rocksprings High School was involved in football as the team manager when the Angoras went to area playoffs. Holding his arm up revealing a scar, Hernadez said, “My momma wouldn’t let me play football because of this injury, but I wanted to help and I did by being the team’s manager.”
Hernandez was also involved with the high school Future Farmers of America program. Although his family wasn’t in a position financially to pay for raising animals for frequent contests and stock shows, Hernandez found a way to participate anyway by being a member of the judging team.
Hernandez also helped his family with expenses while in high school. The Middle Rio Grande Development Council has a program to help low income youths find jobs. Hernandez landed one with the City of Rocksprings. “I worked on the streets, garbage collection, waste water, and checking water meters,” Hernandez said.
After high school graduation, Hernandez pursued his dream of becoming a peace officer by enrolling in a program to earn his 2-year associates degree in criminal justice at Southwest Texas Junior College-Uvalde campus. “It’s 69 miles, 138 miles round trip from Rocksprings to Uvalde,” Hernandez mused. His Aunt Caroline and Uncle Rudy lived in Uvalde at whose home Hernandez would sometimes stay overnight after class.
In April 2000 tragedy struck home when Hernandez’s father suddenly passed away. With no income, his mother relied upon her youngest son to make ends meet. Hernandez took on two more jobs while maintaining a full schedule at the junior college. He worked for friend Roy Cottle as a cashier at Cottle’s Country Boys Feed Store. He landed a job as a jailer and dispatcher at the county jail. All the while he still had time to work his first job at the city, too.
“I took care of mom. I paid all of her bills. I still remember that truck payment. $450 per month, and I was still going to college,” Hernandez said with a chuckle.
“The way I survived was on the Wendy’s value meal,” Hernandez said. “They got to know me there and it got to the point that they didn’t need to ask for my order: a 99 cent Caesar salad, 99 cent chicken nuggets, and a 99 cent Sprite,” Hernandez said, referring to the Wendy’s near his college in Uvalde.
In 2003, Hernandez learned of an opening for a sheriff’s deputy in Edwards County. He asked Sheriff Letsinger if he should apply for the job. According to Letsinger, he told Hernandez that he wouldn’t consider his application unless he completed his degree. “He told me to my face not to quit school,” Hernandez said. Hernandez completed the degree and also completed training at the police academy in Uvalde. Then Letsinger finally hired him in 2004, joining Edwards County’s cadre of only five deputy sheriffs.
For his first year of his tenure at Edwards County, Hernandez described his job as routine. He recalls the traffic stops he made, especially the ones for cars and pickup trucks going a high rate of speed along a 13-mile stretch where US Highway 277 wonders into Edwards County briefly on its way from Del Rio to Sonora. “One day I caught seven speeders in a row and not one of them was going less than 91 miles per hour,” Hernandez said. “I didn’t go looking for speeding,” Hernandez said. “But I wanted to help people, and if you are going over 90 miles per hour, you are probably being a danger to yourself and the people around you,” he said.
One day, Hernandez says he stopped a man speeding while driving a pregnant woman to the hospital. “The driver, the man, had his license suspended. I could have apprehended him,” Hernandez said. “But the pregnant lady needed medical help; they needed to get to where they were going. So I wrote them up a warning or some lesser offense and sent them on their way.”
A year later, Hernandez stopped the same man again for speeding. But this time, there was an infant in a car seat in the backseat. “The man recognized me and pointed to the child in the back. ‘Remember us,’ he said,” Hernandez said. “I just shook my head. ‘You can’t be speeding with a little kid in the car,’” Hernandez recalled. “We both agreed that he deserved a ticket,” he said.
Hernandez also recalls the horrendous wrecks along the rural highways in his sparsely populated county. “I remember a black Chevy dually pickup. “Me and the DPS [Department of Public Safety] found out there was a baby in a car seat trapped in the truck. It had flipped over several times. I remember the DPS and me pulling that baby out of the wreck. That car seat saved that baby’s life,” Hernandez said. The parents were rushed to the hospital with injuries, and eventually survived.
Hernandez is married to the former Ashley Arredondo, who was his fiancé the night of the incident. “I love Ashley with all my heart. We do everything together,” Hernandez said. Since the incident almost two years ago, the two have married and have a baby girl, 7-month old Alektra Amaris Hernandez.
They were married in the Baptist Church in Rocksprings where Hernandez has been in regular attendance since December 2004. “Jesus Christ is my Lord and savior,” Hernandez said. And he is placing whatever outcome of this ordeal in the Lord’s hands.
“I take all of this day-by-day,” Hernandez said. “And I pray it will all work out.” Hernandez says there isn’t much to occupy his time. “I read. I read the Bible because that’s the only book I’m allowed,” he said. Hernandez is also receiving some letters from supporters who have learned of his plight on the Internet. “I get about six letters a day,” he said.
Whatever the outcome, Hernandez isn’t sure he wants to return to law enforcement. “It’s going to be a tough decision to go back on the force,” Hernandez said. “But the amount of community support I have heard about has me reconsidering. I pray that when or if the time comes, I’ll make the right decision,” Hernandez said.
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One day, Hernandez says he
One day, Hernandez says he stopped a man speeding while driving a pregnant woman to the hospital. “The driver, the man, had his license suspended. I could have apprehended him,” Hernandez said. “But the pregnant lady needed medical help; they needed to get to where they were going. So I wrote them up a warning or some lesser offense and sent them on their way.”
LOL! He make's it sound like he did them a favor by not writing them a ticket. He should have escorted them to the hospital immediately! Why worry about the suspended license at that time. Someone's life is in danger. But then again it just proves he has no regard for human life.
I'm curious why no one
I'm curious why no one seemed to bring up his release back in October, maybe it's time for a "where are they now?" type deal.
How on earth do you violate
How on earth do you violate the rights of someone who is hiding.
The local newspaper reports
The local newspaper reports that Gilmer was charged with violating a Mexican woman's civil rights. What I want to know is since when do foreigners have civil rights? Its a horrible day when citizens of other nationalities have more rights then US citizens. When we as US citizens go to mexico we have NO rights. Plain and simple.
The 14th Amendment is
The 14th Amendment is interpreted so that anyone person, regarless of nationality, who is on U.S. soil is entitled to the same Bill of Rights a citizen is entitled. If there were no rights to non-citizens, your rights could be threatened, too.
True. But carry that one
True. But carry that one step farther. One part of our and their "rights" is also the responsibility not to commit a crime. So what, then, is your point? Illegal? Crime? Smuggling? Hello?
Therein lies the problem in
Therein lies the problem in the case. The problem is with leadership from the very top of the US DoJ. What is the DoJ doing taking on and highlighting these high profile cases against law enforcement on the border when the people feel more threatened by terrorists, rampant drugs entering the U.S., and homeland security? Someone at the very, very top needs to step in and pardon Gilmer Hernadez. He made a mistake; he didn't commit a crime. You don't hang people for making mistakes.
I don't think he even made a
I don't think he even made a mistake. He did what he should have done. It was not his fault that a bullet ricocheted and hit the woman. When one commits a crime, one should be prepared to have unexpected consequences. What's with the attitude that law enforcement folks are the bad guys? Our entire country has become so politically correct that we hve fallen over backward.
Is justice equal for all
Is justice equal for all parties?
A story yet to be told, in relation to the Gilmer Hernandez case, is the current status of the paid Smuggler and his Illegal clients i.e. ‘the originators’ of the problem.
There is no knowledge of who
There is no knowledge of who the driver or the guide were from that evening. Roy Cottle, a friend of Hernandez who viewed a couple days of the courtroom trial suggested that perhaps the driver was one of the "illegals" testifying for the prosecution on the stand.
In the Gilmer Hernandez
In the Gilmer Hernandez case, the victim was picked up by her husband who lived in Austin. If you are an American citizen living in Austin, why do you allow your wife to pay $2000 to a coyote to smuggle herself across the border? My question leads to another part of this story that has not yet been told. Was the husband an illegal alien too? And if so, why wasn't he apprehended when he showed up at BAMC to retrieve his wife and ake her home? And now, almost two years later, where is the federal government going to send the check for the $5500 in restitution that Gilmer is about to pay? Do they send it to an address in Austin or to an address in Mexico?
I brought this up in a post
I brought this up in a post a day or so ago. I heard on CNN that they all have been offered amnesty(I believe) for their testimony. Isn't this a case of sleeping with the enemy?
I had one of my vehicles
I had one of my vehicles sideswiped by a car full of illegals in San Antonio. When the vehicles came to a stop 7 or 8 people "all adults" got out and ran away. All my drivers are required to carry disposable cameras in the glove boxes of my vehicles so she actually got a picture of this. The driver stuck around and was ticketed for no license and no insurance. That was it. Well two weeks later I got a letter from a law firm representing the "supposed victims". Let me list the victims. 1 driver, 3 adults and 4 children of which 2 were under 2yrs of age all claiming injuries. None were listed on the police report as having been present and all were illegal aliens. I had my lawyer request an address to send a nice little pay out for the "victims". We got the address and called and gave it to the INS. It's been 3 years now and I haven't heard from them since.
By the way the accident was caused by the Illegal driver failing to yield right of way to a vehicle exiting from a freeway.
Good for you! Now, the
Good for you! Now, the important question: did you report the law firm to the State Bar???
Actually I didn't even think
Actually I didn't even think about doing that. Although the law firm they hired probably didn't even ask them if they were US Citizens or not. The law firm I use tells me that they still laugh about my solution to that one. The down side was that even though the Illegal was at fault in the accident, I still had to pay to repair my car because of course he was both illegal and without insurance.
I think... that we all come
I think... that we all come from the same place you shouln't judge somebody because there from MEXICO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and if he is a well trained cop he should know what he is doing???????????????????????????????
"La gorda" Of course we all
"La gorda" Of course we all come from the same place, "in a physical sense". But unfortunately that “physical sense” happens to occur in differing geographical locations and therein lies the problem. You need to understand that this is not an attack against Mexican Citizens. This is a problem with Illegal’s, whatever country they may be from. That and a problem with someone who is in commission of a crime, basically being pardoned so that another can be tried and convicted for trying to stop the aforesaid original crime.
I hate to be the bearer of this, but if you feel that when anyone refers to "Illegal’s", that they are referring to Mexican Citizens then that suggests that there is either a certain guilt or prejudice on your part and nothing that I can say can fix that. I would point out to you though that Mexico treats Illegal’s much much more harshly than we do, so try and point some of your angst in their direction, instead of here. That is unless of course you feel that your “angst” will have a better effect here because we have a better system?
Oh and yes the Officer in question should have known what he was doing and if you read here the overwhelming opinion is that “he did know what he was doing”, and our judicial system didn’t.
This reminds me of several
This reminds me of several conversations I have had where people where defending the illegals and saying they(illegals) all should be given amnesty. I've said, in my opinion there is a large sympathetic feeling because of the large Hispanic population in the U.S. and it's Mexico right next door. Now, I've said to people, be honest with yourself, if that was some third world Muslim country next door I would care to wager the sympathies would not be there and the feeling about all that amnesty crap wouldn't even be an issue. Thats usually when I either get called a racists (because I'm a whitey) or I don't get an answer at all.
The really funny thing is, that every single person that I have ever met that migrated to this country the legal way was proud because the U.S. citizenship meant something. They were doing the best they could to assimlate to the U.S.. And, the ones I've talked to lately hate the amnesty idea.
He WAS a well-trained cop,
He WAS a well-trained cop, and he WAS doing his duty. The car of illegals was trying to escape. ILLEGALS!!!!! This man should be pardoned ASAP.
La gorda, key words are
La gorda, key words are “illegal”, regardless of the country, “smugglers” and ‘law breakers’, regardless of what country they are from.
Oh my GOSH!! What is this
Oh my GOSH!! What is this world coming to? Illegal aliens should have NO rights at all!! The fact that our police are getting in trouble for something that was an accident is an outrage. Illegal aliens should NOT be in our country anyways. And if they do come into our country then they should expect for something to happen to them like that. That is what they get for illegally entering our country. I served in the military and so does my husband and we didnt fight for our country for illegal aliens to constantly enter. And that person just suffered minor injuries. It could have been worse for her, she could have died. But she DIDNT. She shouldnt have been hiding in the back of the vehicle anyways. This is absolutely rediculous. All illegal aliens should be immediately thrown out of this country and back into their own. Vehicles should be thourougly inspected when entering this country to make it so illegals cannot enter. I just cant believe this. WHAT AN OUTRAGE!!!
I disagree that illegals
I disagree that illegals should have no rights. They should have fundamental rights as human beings, BUT not to the point that they can get away with a crime and/or be treated special.I don't care if they are Mexican, Canadaian, German, French, whoever. Afterall, they ARE illegal. And we ARE the United States, we should hold ourselves to a higher standard. Or we become what we despise. They should take into consideration that they ARE breaking a law and SHOULD expect some trouble. This dosen't mean the woman deserved to get shot for being a passenger. No. It was an accident. Part of the casualty of war, so to speak. But Dep. Hernandez in no way deserves to be put into jail. Not a day. If you try and run me over, I won't be aiming for the tires. That I can guarantee. Maybe we should put Sutton out on that road late at night, let him see how it is. I wonder why they didn't detain her and her husband when he came to pick her up? Has anybody heard anymore about that? She's not what I would call a creditable witness , but then again thats just me.
You're not alone--I
You're not alone--I wholeheartedly agree.
C'mon sissies! Yeah I
C'mon sissies! Yeah I thought so...I challenge each and everyone of you to do something other than show your typing skills. This man's family needs help. Now are we going to set up an account or not? I will pledge 50 bucks. C'mon this is how we show solidarity and sincerity in our beliefs. Faith without works is nothing. Your hero rev. Ike knows this. Now we can all be heros if we help. Let's get the ball rolling. I'm being nice, nice, now.
If you're upset a.p./whirlwind, well that's good. All I wanted to see was some passion. This "blogosphere was looking more like a mutual admiration society. That's why I had to put the smack down on you cats. C'mon "pinche","Don",Mccool, show me your huevos. You have some promise but you're not going far enough. Blah, Blah, Blah, anyone can do that. I want to see some pledges next time or the wrath of Khan will certainly reign over you all.
50 bucks! C'mon you sissies! 10-8
Good idea. Money always
Good idea. Money always seems to "ease the pain," not to mention guilt? This was a travesty of justice. SOMEONE needs to GET AN APPEAL GOING!!! If the attorney won't do it, someone should get the legal form books and fill them out. The wrath of Kahn is hardly intimidating, but the injustice of our legal system is. This is intolerable. Hernandez deserves a pardon, and right now.
All I hear is crickets. Ok
All I hear is crickets. Ok now I just mention un poco de dinero and no one responds. Let's do it! 10-8
Yes this is an outrage. But
Yes this is an outrage. But it's all part of the plan to demoralize, intimidate, and absorb the local authorities into the federal system. How else are they going to do it? The feds are just following the edict that was given by lord Bush, "If you are not with us then you're against us".
The security, prosperity, and partnership (SPP) treaty was signed and initiates the plan to create the North American Union between Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.A. The model is the European Union. It has open borders, and a common currency that allows the "free" flow of people and goods. That's why these "neocons" are slappin' down every agent that performs their lawful duty.
Wake up people!
Why don't we think about raising funds for Deputy Hernandez and his family. I'd be willing to donate to an account. Also let's support him by being present at his sentencing to let these feds know, "We are not afraid". May God Bless him. Peace. 10-8
I just saw this: Immigration
I just saw this: Immigration Rules. 1. There will be no special bilingual programs in the schools, no special printing of ballots in other languages, all government business will be conducted in our language. 2. Immigrants will not have the right to vote, no matter how long they are in this country. 3. Immigrants will never be able to hold public office. 4. Immigrants will not be a burden to the taxpayers. Immigrants cannot receive welfare, food stamps, free haelth care or any other government asssistance. 5. Immigrants CAN invest in this country but it must be 40,000.00 times the daily minimum wage. 6. Immigrants may purchase land. Immigrants cannot own waterfront property. That property is reserved for the natural born citizens. 7. Immigrants cannot demonstrate, wave their foreigen flag. Cannot organize politicaly. Cannot critize the President, the government or the policies of the government. If you do you will be sent back to your original country. 8. If you enter this country illegally you will be placed in jail.
Sounds good to me. THESE ARE THE IMMIGRATION LAWS OF MEXICO.
How about this: Bush is in Mexico dinning with their President. While Ramos, Compean and Hernandez remain in jail for defending our Border from CRIMINAL ALIENS.
You forgot to mention: You
You forgot to mention: You can be shot to death for any act of defiance of a law enforcement official, then IF you are placed in jail you will suffer from malnutrition and the mordida tradition will thwart your family's efforts to get you out...you may literally never see trial until ALL the "mordida" is paid, and you may still be sentenced !!
I believe that if we are mind-controlled into accepting an "economic union" with Mexico, the United States will become the poorest nation in this part of the world.
ALL CITIZENS MUST BECOME AWARE of what this "Government" is saying to its Citizens. I think it is: "IF YOU DO NOT DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE SUBVERSION OF YOUR LAWS YOU WILL NO LONGER ENJOY THE PROTECTION OF LAW...period"
wake up and call, write, put signs on your lawn, visit the office of your Congressman/Woman
and Senator don't stop and put fear aside or those things you fear the most will become reality.
This is one of the reasons
This is one of the reasons that our country is sinking. It will get worse with the new crop of politicians coming in who want nothing better than to make every illegial eligable to vote, thereby insuring their continued existance in politics. They will win the vote by giving them every public assistance known to man. Then whatever taxpayers are left will get the bill.
comment
comment
people are stranger
people are stranger
The Minutemen are so angry
The Minutemen are so angry they are thinking seriously about raising THE CONTINENTAL ARMY. The revolutionary army of George Washington. I run www.AgentRamos.com and www.TheContinentalArmy.com
Dear Texans: The way Boston was built the houses and streets were built parallel to the coastline inhibit Foreign troops marching into the heart of the city,they made good obstacles to hide and fight behind. Now thats what we need to do at the border, not a road into the heart of America, so foreign troops can never march on us.
Why don't we line up all the
Why don't we line up all the Hispanic illegals in our country, mass them along the border, maybe even arm them, and have them march on Mexico City to clean up their own country?
Same way as we should pull
Same way as we should pull all the junkies from drug rehab and make them burn the forests in Cuba. Right? Since we're putting on a show, might aswell dance to the end.
What gives an illegal alien
What gives an illegal alien any rights while hiding in a car while being transported by a person getting paid to do this and refuse to cooperate with a law enforcement official. Sorry that the car took off and that an attempt to stop the vehicle by shooting out the tires and she got hit by a fragment. Let him free to continue to protect the US citizens who deserve better then him getting put in prision for attempting to do his job.
What a sad day for America!
What a sad day for America! Law enforcement officers are being thrown in jail for technicalities of not following procedures while illegal aliens are being given the freedoms and liberties of our land. I'm stunned!
Someone please tell me how
Someone please tell me how an illegal alien has civil rights??
Illegal aliens are afforded
Illegal aliens are afforded the same rights as ordinary Americans. This is one of the principles that U.S. Attorney John Sutton believes in, and has indicated so in his various press releases. I happen to agree with him. We have to protect all rights, or we may end up one day with no rights at all for everyone. However, I think that Sutton is in some ways targeting law enforcement. And I don't believe Hernandez deserves to have the book thrown at him. The U.S. Attorneys treated the Enron criminals better than we are treating this young man!