A report by a Department of Homeland Security agent confirms the drug smuggler given immunity to testify against imprisoned border agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean committed a second offense, which was hidden by prosecutors, and identifies the smuggler's accomplice.
As WND previously reported, El Paso Judge Kathleen Cardone sealed all information about smuggler Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila's second offense and refused to allow the defense to present the information to the jury.
Advertisement - story continues below
Cardone placed the attorneys involved in the Ramos-Compean case under a gag order and threatened to prosecute the families if any member discussed publicly Aldrete-Davila's second drug-smuggling incident.
The office of the prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, did not return WND phone calls asking for comment on this story.
TRENDING: Obama's claim that he broke a racist classmate's nose is met with skepticism
The Nov. 21, 2005, report by DHS Special Agent Christopher Sanchez indicates Drug Enforcement Administration investigators conducted a "knock and talk" in Clint, Texas, Oct. 23, 2005, in which they learned of Aldrete-Davila's second incident.
According to the report, Cipriano Ernesto Ortiz-Hernandez, the occupant of 12101 Quetzal in Clint, Texas, positively identified Aldrete-Davila as the driver who dropped off 752.8 pounds of marijuana in a 1990 Chevy Astro van at Ortiz-Hernandez's home the day before.
Advertisement - story continues below
Ortiz-Hernandez said he was able to make the identification because Aldrete-Davila lifted his shirt to show him the catheter inserted in his body by a U.S. Army doctor at Beaumont Medical Center in El Paso. Aldrete-Davila was treated at government expense for the wound he suffered in the initial Feb. 17, 2005, incident with Ramos and Compean.
Ortiz-Hernandez – reportedly in a wheelchair at the time of the DEA interview – reciprocated by showing Aldrete-Davila his own catheter.
According to Sanchez's report, Aldrete-Davila took 752.8 pounds of marijuana across the border Oct. 22, 2005.
Ortiz-Hernandez explained to DEA investigators that Aldrete-Davila decided to bring the drugs to 12101 Quetzal in Clint, Texas, after the van developed engine trouble. Ortiz-Hernandez had never met Aldrete-Davila. But Aldrete-Davila knew about Ortiz-Hernandez, having grown up with his brother, Jose Roberto Ortiz, in San Ysidro, Mexico.
Because of the family connections, Ortiz-Hernandez gave Aldrete-Davila refuge at his safe house.
Advertisement - story continues below
Ortiz-Hernandez, born Sept. 8, 1970, is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. He does not have a Texas driver's license but carries a Texas ID card and has a U.S. Social Security number.
In the Ramos-Compean trial transcript, Mary Stillinger, defense attorney for Ignacio Ramos, makes a reference to Ortiz-Hernandez in a sidebar comment to the judge (Vol. VII, p. 226), saying Aldrete-Davila was "discovered at the house of Cipriano Ortiz in September 2005." WND has confirmed Stillinger had the name correct but the date wrong.
Prosecutor Debra Kanof tells Stillinger, in the trial exchange, Aldrete-Davila would take the Fifth Amendment on any questions concerning his involvement with Ortiz-Hernandez.
Stillinger and family members of Ramos and Compean refused to discuss with WND matters concerning Ortiz-Hernandez out of fear Sutton would prosecute them for violating the gag order.
Advertisement - story continues below
Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, who has helped lead efforts in Congress on behalf of Ramos and Compean, told WND the deal made with Aldrete-Davila to not prosecute him for a second time "tells you two things."
"Number one, our federal government would do anything to prosecute Ramos and Compean, even giving immunity more than once for bring drugs into the United States," he said. "And, second, the jury should have known about the second instance, to judge the credibility of this prosecution witness, their only witness, the drug dealer."
Poe explained that the "better deal a person gets as a witness, common sense would say, the more likely you're to say what the government wants you to say."
Advertisement - story continues below
Would you like to interview the author of this story? Let us know.
Special offers:
Advertisement - story continues below
"PREMEDITATED MERGER: How leaders are stealthily transforming USA into North American Union"
Autographed! – Pat Buchanan unleashed on border crisis
Advertisement - story continues below
Tom Tancredo: America itself "In Mortal Danger"
Get Minutemen founder's new book
Advertisement - story continues below
Get special Whistleblower issue: "SECRETS OF THE INVASION"
"Conquest of Aztlan": Will Mexicans retake American Southwest?
Advertisement - story continues below
Advertisement - story continues below
Previous stories:
Ramos attorney calls for mistrial
Advertisement - story continues below
Smuggler's 2nd delivery of marijuana confirmed
Congressman: Probe Mexico's role in prosecutions
Mexico demanded U.S. prosecute sheriff, agents
Advertisement - story continues below
Discrepancies in case against Border Patrol unresolved
Compean reports reading half of Bible already
How cozy was Border Patrol with smuggler?
Advertisement - story continues below
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
Advertisement - story continues below
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
Advertisement - story continues below
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
Advertisement - story continues below
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
Advertisement - story continues below
Congressman: Feds stonewalling on border agents
Border agent's wife at State of the Union
Advertisement - story continues below
Revolt builds as Republicans seek to toss border agents' convictions
Border Patrol agent held in solitary confinement
Advertisement - story continues below
Imprisoned agent's wife: President is a hypocrite
Border agents' prosecutor responds to critics
Advertisement - story continues below
Border agents plead for 'Christmas pardon'
Advertisement - story continues below
White House clarifies 'nonsensical' comment'
12 congressmen demand pardon for border agents
Advertisement - story continues below
Snow says question on agents' prison time 'nonsensical'
Border Patrol agents sentenced to prison
Advertisement - story continues below
National Guard units to be armed, close to the border
Gang expert backs Tancredo charge
National Guard units to be armed, close to the border
No militarization of U.S.-Mex border
Not even killer flu to shut U.S. border
Chertoff downplays Mexican military incursions
'Shoot illegals' comment earns host FCC complaint
Another armed incursion on U.S.-Mexico border
Texas border standoff with Mexican military
Border Patrol warned: Brace for violence
Feds to border agents: Assassins targeting you
Border sheriff warns: We're overwhelmed
Mexican drug commandos expand ops in 6 U.S. states
It's war between cops in Mexico
'It's a war' along Mexican border
Mexican commandos seek control of border
Mexican commandos new threat on border
Border Patrol agents shot in Laredo
Mexicans shoot at Border Patrol