Constable scandal goes before grand jury

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- 13 Undercover has learned that a grand jury has begun its investigation into the Harris County Precinct 6 Constable's Office.

We've learned the district attorney's office is presenting its case on the constable's office to the grand jury. It's the latest chapter in a constable scandal that's been unfolding for a year.

"I can't talk about it," said Captain Tyrone Berry.

We asked, "Any comment on the grand jury subpoena?"

"No, sir," he said.

He's the third in command at Precinct 6 and his lawyer says Captain Berry is a victim.

"He feels like a victim," we said.

Captain Berry's attorney Richard Cobb replied, "He not only feels it, in my opinion, he is a victim,"

"Because of the forgeries?" we asked.

"Absolutely," Cobb responded.

Forgeries -- Berry claims some of his signatures were forged on checks from the charity Constable Victor Trevino founded.

We asked, "No question to you that there is criminal wrongdoing by someone? The question is who?"

"Correct," Cobb replied. "In my opinion that's correct."

Some of those charity checks were cashed at convenience stores, with no paper trail of what happened to all the cash after that.

"You know where all the cash money went?" we asked.

David Acosta said, "No comment."

We asked, "How long were you in the grand jury?"

Acosta was the accountant for CARE and Captain Berry was the treasurer. His lawyer now says he had no choice.

We asked, "He didn't want to be the treasurer?"

"He did not," Cobb replied.

Precinct 6 employees complained to 13 Undercover that Captain Berry was one of the commanders who hit deputies up for campaign money for the constable. His lawyer says the long-standing practice of some constables using deputies to raise money is a call for civil service protection.

"They're employees at will," Cobb explained. "So if you want to stay in good graces of your constable, you do those things."

The constable's lawyer says Trevino never told anyone to sign checks without Berry's consent and never pressured Berry or anyone else to serve on the charity board of directors. The grand jury continues next week.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more 13 Undercover »

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Long-awaited Constable report short on details

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Wait till you see the long-awaited report on the constables. Is it a whitewash? You be the judge.

13 Undercover's been exposing possible wrongdoing in some of the constable's offices for months, and last week, we questioned why the county attorney hadn't taken action.

Maybe you didn't expect the county attorney to come down hard on the constables, but now there's not even a slap of the wrist.

What did high-priced county lawyers do in 10 long months? You'll see.

"We are reviewing facts, which do not look good. I can't say that they rise to the level of official misconduct or crimes, but they are serious," Terry O'Rourke told us last year.

That was Terry O'Rourke last year, after 13 Undercover had exposed possible wrongdoing in Victor Trevino's Precinct 6 office; alleged misuse of county equipment had now surfaced in May Walker's office; within months, another constable -- Jack Abercia -- would be in chains, arrested by the FBI for alleged bribes he denies.

"There is an investigation in the district attorney's office as well as a review in our office of all the conduct in Precinct 6 and other constable precincts," O'Rourke said.

Now, that long-awaited report has finally been issued and it took 10 months.

"It's a cut and paste job," KTRK legal analyst Joel Androphy said.

You have to read it to believe it. It won't take long, it's barely five pages long. The summary is just two sentences and it doesn't name names -- not one.

"Should they be embarrassed?" we asked Androphy.

"Embarrassed is not the word here -- incompetency," he replied.

So what does it say? It provides legal advice to the constables on how they can avoid breaking the law and a lot of it is plain common sense.

"A law student could have cut and pasted from the various different codes and produced this report within 30 minutes," Androphy said.

But did anyone break the law, violate county policies? Based on this report, who knows.

"Is the county attorney the public's lawyer or the constable's lawyer?" we asked Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan.

"The people of Harris County's attorney," he replied.

"They were elected to protect the public from the public officials, not the public officials from the public," Androphy said.

Your watchdog won't let you see what his office discovered along the way. Last week, we showed damaging emails that suggested they wanted to keep you in the dark. We showed you how a corruption report on another former county official was changed to take out some of the bad stuff. What happened to all that tough talk?

"Nobody is immune, that's our job," O'Rourke said.

"Does this look like a whitewash?" we asked Androphy.

"Totally," he said.

If you'd like to tell the county attorney what you think, here's his phone number: 713-755-5101.

On your behalf, we have demanded once again to see all those draft reports. In February, they claimed they had reviewed thousands of documents, interviewed several people. Who? What'd they say? Don't you have a right to know? After all, you paid for it.

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Harris County deputy constable accused of sexual assault of a child

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- It was his duty to uphold the law. But now, a Harris County Precinct 5 deputy constable is behind bars, accused of sexually assaulting a child.

Deputy Jeremy English was arrested Friday outside of a hospital. Authorities say a teen is accusing him of sexually assaulting her when she was 14-years old.

That teenager is a relative of the deputy constable. Now instead of reporting to work like he was suppossed to, English found himself in a court of law where a judge outlined the charges against him.

As a Precinct 5 deputy constable, English is supposed to uphold the law. Now he's accused of breaking it. The 28-year-old peace officer went before a judge to face three counts of sexual assault of a child and one count of online solicitation of a minor.

The alleged victim is now 17, but prosecutors say she was a minor -- just 14 years old when she and English first engaged in sexual activity. Investigators say she told a relative. The allegations were then reported to the authorities. Harris County Sheriff's Office investigators arrested English Friday afternoon while he was working his second job as a security officer at North Cypress Medical Center.

No one answered the door at English's northwest Harris County apartment. English has worked patrol for Precinct 5 for almost four years. The charges against him may put his career in jeopardy.

"Right now, Deputy English is relieved of duty without pay pending the outcome of the investigation. We will help the sheriff's department any way we can with their investigation," said Lt. Warren Steffenauer with the Precinct 5 Harris County Constable's Office.

English's bond has been set at $80,000. We called his wife for a comment and are awaiting a response.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Constable Jack Abercia drops out of primary election

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- On the heels of a 13 Undercover investigation into Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Jack Abercia's office, the 20-year incumbent has announced his withdrawal from the primary election.

Lane Lewis, the new chairman of the Harris County Democratic Party, told us late Wednesday afternoon that he received a letter Tuesday morning from Abercia. It stated that Abercia was withdrawing his name from the primary ballot, citing health reasons.

The news comes about two weeks after 13 Undercover broke exclusive details involving Abercia's office. Multiple sources tell 13 Undercover the FBI is investigating possible bribes to Pct. 1 officials. Among those under scrutiny are two of the highest ranking commanders in Pct. 1.

Sources told 13 Undercover that the bribery investigation centers on the hiring of a deputy who'd been turned down by seven other law enforcement agencies.

"With Abercia stepping aside, that opens up a seat that's been held for 20 years by one person. It's a seat that most likely will go to a Democrat, given that the Precinct 1 is a reliable Democratic district," said Mark Jones, chairman of the Rice University Department of Political Science.

Four candidates for are already on the ballot: Cindy Vara-Leija, Quincy Whitaker, Alan Rosen and Grady Castleberry.

The deadline to file was December 19, but officials anticipate it reopening sometime in February because of the court battle over redistricting.

"It does open up the race; however, since Cindy Vara-Leija has already established a campaign and has the support of a lot of Hispanic heavyweights in the city, such as Jessica Ferrara, Mario Gallegos [and] Ed Gonzalez, she's likely to be the odds on favorite to win the Democratic nomination now that Abercia has stepped aside," Jones said.

Abercia has not endorsed anyone at this time.

We attempted to reach Pct. 1 for a comment and are awaiting a response. The democratic primary is April 3.

For months now, 13 Undercover has been investigating constables. The reports have helped to spark three separate investigations by both federal and local authorities.

While the FBI is reportedly looking into bribery allegations at Pct. 1, the Harris County district attorney and the county attorney are both investigating Pct. 6 Constable Victor Trevino and Pct. 7 Constable May Walker. The allegations against Trevino are potential misuse of charity funds, county personnel and county equipment. The Walker investigation centers around the possible misuse of county equipment and personnel, as well as possible illegal fundraising.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Liberty Co. deputy constable critical after accident

  LIBERTY COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- A Liberty County deputy constable is in extremely critical condition after a wreck Tuesday afternoon.

The Liberty County Sheriff's Office says the Precinct 2 deputy constable was transported via LifeFlight to Memorial Hermann Hospital and was "unconscious and unresponsive." People in the other vehicle were being treated for their injuries as well.

LCSO says the deputy constable pulled into the path of an oncoming vehicle on Highway 90 about a mile west of Devers and his vehicle was T-boned on the driver's side.

The injured deputy constable has been identified as 43-year-old Duwayne Marcolesco. He is a resident of Daisetta.

We worked on this story with one of our Houston Community Newspaper partners, The Cleveland Advocate.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)
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Suspect in deputy constable killing turns himself in

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Police say a 31-year-old man wanted for the fatal shooting of an off-duty Harris County deputy constable has turned himself in to authorities.

Lee Eldridge Sonier turned himself in late Friday after negotiating his surrender through community activist Quanell X. Sonier is charged with the capital murder of 47-year-old Ronnie Earl Brewer, a Harris County Precinct 4 deputy constable.

Quanell X explained, "He was thinking about running, fleeing. I talked to the brother and explained that's the worst thing he could do."

Investigators say Brewer was shot after getting into an argument with Sonier, accused of being a pimp, over money following sex with a prostitute.

Also charged with capital murder is the alleged prostitute, Judy Lucille Hambrick, who is currently jailed.

On Tuesday, police questioned Sonier, 31, Hambrick, 40, and another woman. Sonier and the unnamed woman were released pending further investigation. Hambrick remained in custody and was charged with theft of a firearm. Police say she admitted to stealing Brewer's weapon.

According to a probable cause affidavit released Friday, Hambrick performed a sex act on Brewer in his car early Tuesday morning. Afterward, police say Sonier argued with Brewer and shot him.

Houston police would not talk publicly about the case; neither would prosecutors. But HPD did send out a press release around midday Friday asking for the public's assistance to find Sonier after a noon time surrender did not happen as planned.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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Two charged in death of deputy constable

 Judy Hambrick is one of two people charged with capital murder in the shooting death of an off-duty officer

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two people are being charged with capital murder in the shooting death of an off-duty officer in northeast Houston.

The district attorney is filing capital murder charges against Judy Hambrick and Lee Sonier for the shooting death of Harris County Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Ronnie Brewer. He was shot in an apparent robbery Tuesday while off-duty.

Police say Hambrick admitted to stealing Brewer's gun and she was charged with theft earlier today.

We'll have more on this developing story on ABC13 Eyewitness News.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.)

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