Lawsuit filed on South Texas private prison corruption scandal

Former Willacy County Attorney Juan Guerra has filed a private lawsuit against several South Texas officials and former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in conjunction with his ongoing battle to expose private prison corruption related to the construction of private prisons in Raymondville. 

According to the report by the Rio Grande Guardian ("KGBT: Juan Guerra files suit against Lucio, Gonzales, et al," October 20)

The Guardian’s media partner, KGBT-TV, is reporting that former Willacy County DA Juan Guerra has filed a federal lawsuit against state Sen. Eddie Lucio and 28 others. Also sued, Action 4 News is reporting, is former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, former U.S. Attorney for Southern District of Texas Donald DeGarbrielle, and state District Judges Migdalia Lopez and Janet Leal.

Among the accusations are engaging in organized criminal activity, accepting of an honorarium, abuse of official capacity, official oppression, murder and manslaughter, Action 4 News reports. In the 35-page lawsuit, Guerra alleges that Lucio and the others used their positions to derail an investigation into private prisons in Willacy County.

In the lawsuit, Guerra, who now does pro bono work for immigrants locked up in prison, explains the investigation he mounted in April 2001 over the death of inmate Gregorio de la Rosa. He said that investigation led him to uncover "a massive kickback and corruption scheme between the private prison companies and public officials." Just before leaving elected office last year, Guerra famously got a Willacy County grand jury to indict then-Vice President Dick Cheney, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Lucio and others. The case was quickly thrown out. He told the Guardian at the time that his top secret investigation was known as Operation Caca Grande.

Guerra made national headlines when a grand jury criminally indicted Cheney and Gonzales last year in related corruption charges.  Two Willacy Commissioners and one Webb County Commisser pled guilty to receiving bribes related to prison construction in the county. We'll keep you posted on what pieces of information Juan's latest effort may bring about. See some of our previous coverage of Raymondville prison scandals. 

• Latest Developments in Willacy County (01/06/2009)
• South Texas D.A. Indicts GEO Group, Cheney, Gonzalez, Etc. (11/21/2008)
• Willacy County Goes $50 Million More in Debt to Expand MTC’s Tent City (08/30/2007)
• More Detention Nightmares: Maggots in the food at MTC's Raymondville Prison (08/04/2007)
• 1,000 More Beds for Raymondville (AKA Prisonville) Detention Center (07/17/2007)
• Raymondville Private Prisons and Prison Scandals Have Long History (06/17/2007)