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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Top Stories
Thursday, February 20, 2003
Judge delays bond hearing for Marquez
PECOS, Thurs., Feb. 20, 2003 -- A scheduled hearing for a former Pecos
Police Officer arrested last week on charges of solicitation of child
pornography was put off on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Midland.
U.S. Magistrate Stuart Platt rescheduled the bond hearing for John Peter
Marquez, 41, for next Friday, Feb. 28, in Midland federal court. Marquez
was arrested on Feb. 11 on a charge of sexual exploitation of a minor, as
the result of an undercover sting involving U.S. Postal Inspectors.
A hearing was held for Marquez in federal court on Tuesday. The Midland
Reporter-Telegram said on Wednesday that U.S. Postal Inspector J.K. Terry
signed an affidavit referencing a hand-written statement in which Marquez
allegedly admits to soliciting "hard core" porn videos of teenage boys. Terry
testified on behalf of the government at Tuesday's hearing.
"Also in his statement, Marquez admitted to having sexual contact with
a 13-year-old male and with a 16-year-old male when Marquez himself was in
his late 20s," the Reporter-Telegram said Terry stated in his affidavit.
Marquez was working for the Pecos Police Department, first as a dispatcher
and then as a police officer during the 1980s and early 1990. He was terminated
in 1991 at the age of 29 by then police chief Troy Moore, but no charges
were ever filed in connection with his termination.
Town of Pecos City Police Chief Clay McKinney said that while he was not
with the department at that time, both he and Moore have been subpoenaed
by federal prosecutors in connection with the current charges against Marquez.
"Right now I'm in a situation where I can't comment about this issue,"
McKinney said on Wednesday. "I've been served a federal subpoena and was
advised not to discuss the matter with anyone."
Tip leads police to handgun hidden on Lamar campus
By JENNIFER GALVAN
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., Feb. 20, 2003 -- The Pecos Police Department responded to
an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip Wednesday afternoon at Lamar AEP campus,
which resulted in the arrest of one male juvenile on a gun possession
charge.
Investigator/Gang Officer Armando Granado said that he had been dispatched
to Lamar AEP yesterday at about 1:36 p.m. on a tip about a student with a
gun at the school.
"When we arrived at the school we met with Campus Director Jimmy Dutchover,"
Granado said.
He added that during the investigation the male juvenile denied any wrongdoing.
"He told us that he did not know anything about a pistol," Granado said.
However, after several hours of interrogation, Granado said that the juvenile
confessed about having a gun.
"He told us that he was going to take it back to his grandpa's house where
he got it from," Granado said.
The juvenile had no intention of using the gun, the officer added.
With the juvenile's confession, Granado began to search for the gun on
the school premises.
"He had hid it under some cross ties on the southeast door," Granado said.
"That is where it was found by Pecos Police Department's Sgt. Cosme Ortega."
The gun, which was recovered, was a Raven .25-caliber pistol. "It was
not loaded but it did have five rounds," he said.
Pecos Police Department Lt. Kelly Davis said that the officers did a good
job in reference to recovering the weapon.
"They did some good investigating work," Davis said.
The juvenile was arrested at about 6:30 p.m. at the Reeves County Juvenile
Detention Center and was transported to the Pecos County Juvenile Detention
Center in Fort Stockton, Granado said.
He added that the juvenile is not a member of any gang.
"They did good work," Davis said again. "And we believe that he was the
only one involved."
Pecos Police Department's Chief Clay McKinney was also proud of the work
his officers did.
"That's great," McKinney said. "Anytime we get a gun out of the schools
that's great."
Teen probationers' courthouse visit
held to honor work on new window
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., Feb. 20, 2003 -- A dedication ceremony and reception was held
in the lobby of the Reeves County Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon,
which gave community members the opportunity to see the newest
item in the courthouse.
The ceremony was for a new stained glass window located at the top of
the stairs leading to the second floor of the courthouse, and is part of
a project aimed at helping students with their self-esteem.
Three young ladies were involved in an art project that included designing,
constructing and painting the stained glass window, and was done in conjunction
with Pecos High School's art department and the Reeves County Juvenile Probation
Office.
"This is one of our projects that we have implemented to help these students,"
said Reeves County Chief Juvenile Probation Officer Louise Moore.
All three young ladies, Adriana Vasquez, Michelle Carrera and Joy Petty,
said that they had enjoyed doing the project.
Moore said that the Juvenile Detention Center is allotted money from the
state to implement programs for the students. "That art programs was one
that we wanted to implement to help the kids with to develop self-esteem
and in different problem areas," said Moore.
Moore said that the art project helped the three students with patience
and learn discipline.
Pecos High School art teacher Walter Holland told the group during the
reception that this project had helped the girls and also him.
"This is a great way to learn discipline, patience and to develop a sense
of pride in a project that when completed looks really great," he said.
Holland helped the girls with the art project, which took several weeks
to complete.
"We're really excited about this project and we wanted to show that this
is where glass belongs and not in the streets," said Holland. "These girls
were really great to work with, they helped me out a lot as well and we had
a great time doing it."
The top design of the window is the U.S. Flag and the bottom half is the
Texas Flag. "The girls decided that in light of everything going on they
wanted to show their patriotism, which is why we chose this design and the
bottom half, is the State Flag, to show our support of our state," he said.
Carrera, a junior at Pecos High School, said that the project was fun.
"It was something new, I had never done something like this before, but it
was great," she said.
Her favorite subject is geometry and she plans to finish school, possibly
go to college, get a good job and basically just "enjoy life."
Vasquez is a sophomore at Pecos High School, who also plans to continue
her education and raise her baby at the same time.
"I want to someday get a good job and take care of my baby," she said.
"This project is also to help them learn from their mistakes," said Moore.
Moore said that they have already begun a new project with another group
of students. The Juvenile Detention Center offers counseling services, first
referral services, group counseling and a variety of other services.
"We also do a Choices Program, where we do presentations at the schools,"
she said.
As part of the ceremony, Richard Crider received an award for his donation
of the glass. Simona Villalobos, who helped with the reception, Jon Cook
and Mary Ann Acosta with the probation department, and Reeves County Auditor
Lynn Owens received awards as well.
"He was a great help to us and we really appreciate it," said Moore.
Baeza becomes second to enter PBT campaign
By ROSIE FLORES
Staff Writer
PECOS, Thurs., Feb. 20, 2003 -- A newcomer has joined the race for the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah
ISD Board, becoming the second person to file to run in the May 3 elections.
Randy Baeza filed to run for the school board yesterday, joining incumbent
David Flores in seeking one of the two available seats on the school board.
Baeza is a graduate of P-B-T ISD schools and currently is employed by Reeves
County.
Flores, is seeking a new three-year term on the Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD
school board. The other seat up for election on May 3 is currently held by
Steve Valenzuela.
Two other incumbents and one former officeholder had previously filed
to run in the local city and hospital elections.
Incumbent Frank Sanchez has filed to retain his seat on the Town of Pecos
City Council, along with former councilman Danny Rodriguez, who was defeated
for re-election last year.
Sanchez's seat is one of three on the council up for election on May 3.
Mayor Pro-Tem Gerald Tellez and councilman Johnny Terrazas hold the other
two-year terms. Sanchez was elected to the council in 2001 after serving
as Town of Pecos City Mayor in the 1980s.
In the Reeves County Hospital District board election, Precinct 2 incumbent
and current RCH Board president Linda Gholson filed for a new two-year term
on the board on Monday. Gholson's seat is one of two up for election this
May, the other being the seat in Precinct 4, currently held by Hugh Box.
Deadline to file an application for a place on the ballot is 5 p.m., Wednesday,
March 19.
Tuesday, March 4, will be the first day to accept applications to vote
by mail, and early voting by personal appearance will be held at the Pecos
Community Center, 508 S. Oak St., from April 16-29.
The last day a person may register to vote in the elections is April 3,
and the last day to receive applications for early voting ballots to be voted
by mail is April 25.
City council elections will also be held in Barstow, Toyah and Balmorhea
on May 3, as will elections for the Balmorhea ISD board.
Bears' playoff against Lometa set for Sonora
PECOS, Thurs., Feb. 20, 2003 -- The Balmorhea Bears' Class A-Division
II Area Round boys basketball playoff game against the Lometa Hornets has
been scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday night at Sonora High School.
Balmorhea advanced to the area round in Pecos on Tuesday with a 70-63
bi-district win over Buena Vista. Lometa, located 50 miles west of Killeen,
won their opening round game over Novice, 46-35.
The winner of the game will face the winner between Blackwell and Throckmorton
in the Class A-Division II quarterfinals next week.
Weather
PECOS, Thurs., Feb. 20, 2003 -- High Wednesday 67. Low this morning 43.
Forecast for tonight: Occasional rain. Lows near 40. East winds 5
to 15 mph. The chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Friday:
Mostly cloudy. Morning showers likely: Tapering to scattered
showers in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 50s. Northwest winds 10
to 20 mph. The chance of precipitation is 40 percent. Friday night:
Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s. Saturday: Mostly cloudy in the
morning then clearing. Highs in the upper 60s. Sunday: Partly cloudy.
Lows in the upper 30s. Highs in the upper 60s.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2003 by Pecos Enterprise
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