Christmas greetings sought for jailed border agents

Monica Ramos embraces her husband, former U.S. Border Patrol agent Ignacio Ramos, two days before he was sentenced to 11 years in prison (Courtesy El Paso Times)

An organization supporting Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean is asking Americans to send Christmas greetings to the former border agents serving prison sentences of more than a decade for shooting at a drug smuggler as he fled back into Mexico after dumping a load of marijuana.

The website for Ramos has listed the mailing addresses for the two, who also are the subjects of a petition launched by WND founder and editor Joseph Farah that calls for a presidential pardon.

So far, more than 20,000 people have signed onto the campaign to urge President Bush to free Ramos and Compean before he leaves office in a few weeks.

The Ramos blog, which has carried ongoing reports on the status of the agents' charges, imprisonment, appeals and request for presidential intervention, said the Christmas greetings could be sent to:

Ignacio Ramos, 58079-180
FCI Phoenix
Federal Correctional Institution
37910 N. 45th Avenue
Phoenix, Ariz., 85086

And:

Jose Compean, 58080180
FCI Elkton
PO Box 10
Lisbon, Ohio, 44432

Send a FedEx letter to the president asking him to help Ramos and Compean.

Meanwhile, several prominent voices, including that of U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., were arguing on behalf of the agents.

(Story continues below)

In a recent commentary, Rohrabacher said as more details about the case emerge, the louder the pleas for justice have become.

"The American people cannot seem to reconcile how two law enforcement officers whose job was to protect our borders from illegal aliens, drug smugglers, human traffickers, and terrorists could end up sitting in solitary confinement, facing over a decade in federal prison, for shooting and wounding an illegal alien in the process of smuggling over a million dollars worth of drugs across our Southern border in Texas," he wrote.

"For reasons we have to yet to fully understand, the U.S. Attorney's Office in El Paso decided to pursue criminal charges against agents Ramos and Compean instead of against the real criminal, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila. He resisted arrest, assaulted an officer and left behind 743 pounds of marijuana as he absconded back to Mexico."

Rohrabacher lamented the fact that prosecutors decided Davila was the "victim" and "deserved to be treated as such. The smuggler was subsequently rewarded with full immunity for his crimes, free health care and unconditional border-crossing cards permitting him to come and go as often as he liked, without escort.

"Unbeknownst to the jury, Davila was involved in another drug-smuggling incident several months before the trial. The prosecution, however, was well aware of his illicit activities and asked the trial judge to keep this information from the jury because it was not 'relevant.' The judge granted their request because, after all, the illegal alien drug smuggler was the 'victim,'" the congressman wrote.

Rohrabacher warned of the dramatic impact on law enforcement.

"Every law enforcement officer who discharges his weapon in a split-second, deadly force situation, now faces the possibility of being charged under 18 U.S.C. 924 (c) – 'discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence' – which carries a mandatory 10-year minimum sentence," he said.

"Ramos and Compean were not rogue or corrupt officers. They did not wake up the morning of Feb. 17, 2005, intent on committing a crime, unlike Davila. On that fateful day, they put on their uniforms, strapped on their badges and guns to protect our families from illegal alien criminals like Aldrete Davila. Some mistakes may have been made that day, but by no means should Ramos and Compean be in prison for the next decade as a result," he urged.

Ramos and Compean are serving 11- and 12-year prison sentences, respectively, for shooting at a fleeing illegal alien drug dealer while he smuggled nearly 750 pounds of marijuana across the border. They were convicted of assault, discharge of a weapon in the commission of a crime of violence, tampering with an official proceeding and deprivation of civil rights.

U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton's office gave the smuggler full immunity from prosecution for agreeing to serve as the government's star witness and testify against the border agents. A ruling from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals affirmed all convictions except for tampering with an official proceeding, which it vacated and remanded for resentencing.

Ramos' attorney, David Botsworth, said a petition for writ of certiorari was filed with the U.S. Supreme Court and docketed on Dec. 11. The government has the right to file a response should it choose to do so by early January.

"It's obviously an astronomical uphill battle to get review in the Supreme Court," Botsworth said. "I think the issues are worthy of their consideration."

Send a FedEx letter to the president asking him to help Ramos and Compean .

And sign WND's petition urging President Bush to free U.S. Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.

 

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Previous stories:

President Bush thinking of border agent pardons?

No mercy for jailed Border Patrol agent

Rules allow border agents to seek clemency

Border agent convictions upheld by court of appeals

What did government promise drug smuggler?

New ethics complaint targets Ramos-Compean prosecutor

'Ramos, Compean must ask for clemency'

Call renewed for pardons for border agents

Pardon me: Bush blasted for ignoring border agents

'Free agents by Christmas' plan gains momentum

House resolution wants Ramos, Compean freed

Another win for border agent who struck illegal

Feds admit smuggler lied in Ramos-Compean case

Jailed border agents plead for new trial

Rights 'denied' Ramos, Compean

Ramos, Compean feared for their lives

Drug smuggler arrested for 2nd marijuana load

'Pardon Ramos and Compean now!'

Arrest prompts call for release of Ramos, Compean

Bush won't get involved in Ramos, Compean review

Lawmaker: Terrorists treated better than Ramos, Compean

Texas deputy freed from prison

Jailed Texas deputy scheduled for release

Gil Hernandez 'fears for his life'

Border Patrol agent vindicated

Sheriff sees pattern in border agents' cases

Feds seeking 7 years for another Texas cop

Justice urged to release Ramos-Compean documents

Records prompt call for new Ramos-Compean trial

Congressman: Bush 'doesn't give a damn'

Cop called 'double agent' in Ramos-Compean case

Ramos, Compean release on bond nixed

Border agents' case inspires song

Feinstein still probing Ramos-Compean case

Judicial Watch seeks records in Ramos-Compean case

Sheriff: Deputy prosecuted by Mexico's demand

Senate hearings on Ramos-Compean postponed

Smuggler's 2nd drug case confirmed by accomplice

Ramos attorney calls for mistrial

Smuggler's 2nd delivery of marijuana confirmed

Congressman: Probe Mexico's role in prosecutions

Mexico demanded U.S. prosecute sheriff, agents

Discrepancies in case against Border Patrol unresolved

Compean reports reading half of Bible already

How cozy was Border Patrol with smuggler?

Border Patrol agents fired for changing testimonies

Drug smuggler left cell phone in van

Border-agent investigator had tie to smuggler

Author of DHS border-agent report lied to Congress

Officials urged to resign for lie about border agents

Government admits lying about jailed border agents

Imprisoned border agent did report shooting

Imprisoned border agent beaten by fellow inmates

Prosecutor had evidence against drug smuggler

Poe seeks 'public' documents on border agents

Prosecutor accused of hiding smuggler's 2nd drug bust

Homeland Security memos contradict U.S. attorney

Uproar over border agents to get White House review

Feds 'knew smuggler' in Border Patrol case

Ballistics data don't support charge against border agents

Funds set up for Border Patrol agents

Congressman: Feds stonewalling on border agents

Border agent's wife at State of the Union

Revolt builds as Republicans seek to toss border agents' convictions

Border Patrol agent held in solitary confinement

Imprisoned agent's wife: President is a hypocrite

Border agents' prosecutor responds to critics

Border agents sent to prison

Border agents plead for 'Christmas pardon'

White House clarifies 'nonsensical' comment'

12 congressmen demand pardon for border agents

Snow says question on agents' prison time 'nonsensical'