Courtesy Joe Baeza, 
Chief Maldonado requests Congressional funding to support community safety efforts
 Washington, D.C. – Chief Carlos R. Maldonado of the Laredo Police Department was invited to the White House, where he provided insight on how the Administration’s recently-released Strategic Implementation Plan for Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States can be implemented locally. Chief Maldonado joined more than 35 senior and front line law enforcement officials in giving feedback, talking about how the federal government can best support efforts to implement the strategy in local …

Courtesy Angela Dodge,
 LAREDO, Texas – Ruben Ibarra, 37, of Laredo, Texas, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today for illegally possessing a firearm, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Laredo Police Department Chief Carlos R. Maldonado. The conviction and sentence stems from an altercation at the Coyote Creek Bar and Grill restaurant during the early morning hours of Feb. 28, 2011, involving Ibarra and Fernando Perez, 28, also of Laredo. 

 A federal jury found Ibarra guilty on Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, following a one-day-trial and …

Courtesy Joe Baeza,
(Laredo, Tx)-Laredo Police Department is asking for your help in identifying a person in this surveillance footage.   The person is wanted for questioning only.  He is not a suspect and is not wanted for arrest.  The photos are of a man making a purchase of bolt cutters from a local hardware store in North Laredo.  There was evidence left behind at the crime scene that could have only been purchased at this hardware store.  The purchase was made the day before the burglary.  If anyone can identify this man they are being …

(Laredo, Tx)-Webb County Commissioner Frank Sciaraffa’s son Trey Sciaraffa was arrested this week along with a group of friends after a small amount of marijuana was found in their possesion.   Sciaraffa and the group are looking at a misdeanor charge for possession of marijuana  in a drug free zone.  Sciaraffa was arrested along with Alfonso Rivas Jr., Ricardo Juan Garcia, and Carlos Adrian Garcia.  
The arrest took place on Wednesday night at a local park.  Sciaraffa’s son and the others were later released on a $1,000 bond that was posted by each individual. 
Sciaraffa and the group could receive up to a year in jail  if …

Courtesy Joe Baeza, 
ON TUESDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2011, AT 6:40 P.M., AN LPD OFFICER WAS DISPATCHED TO A PUBLIC LEWDNESS CALL AT 1001 S. US HWY 83 (THE EXPRESS LANE DRIVE THRU). WHILE EN ROUTE THE DISPATCH NOTES STATED THAT A FEMALE WAS ALLEGEDLY DANCING ON TOP OF A CUSTOMER INSIDE THE VEHICLE WITH THE DOOR OPEN IN PLAIN VIEW. THE REPORTING PARTY REFUSED TO IDENTIFY. UPON THE OFFICER’S ARRIVAL AT THE EXPRESS LANE DRIVE THRU HE OBSERVED ONLY ONE FEMALE EMPLOYEE WHO WAS WEARING A SMALL LACE BLACK THONG WHICH …

Courtesy Joe Baeza,
Halloween Safety Tips
Halloween is fun for people of all ages, but it’s important that you and your children remain safe. These simple tips will help make your Halloween celebration better than ever.

Costume Safety Children should:

Wear clothing that is bright, reflective and flame-retardant; wear short clothing that prevents tripping.
Wear sneakers or comfortable shoes.
Use face paint (non-toxic, hypoallergenic) and avoid masks – especially if the eye holes obstruct the child’s vision.
See well through facemasks, or use make-up.
Don’t wear floppy hats or wigs that slide over the eyes. Also, children should …

Courtesy Jose Baeza,
(Laredo, Tx)-An international exchange student named Shane Horgan from the University College Cork, in Ireland recently completed a full two summer term internship with the Laredo Police Department.  The student was assigned to various divisions within the Laredo PD and was given unique supervised access to the development of criminal cases and investigations.  Mr. Horgan in his own words describes his experience;
 My Placement Experience with the Laredo Police Department.
 “My name is Shane Horgan and I am Social Science (B.Soc.Sc) student at University College Cork, (UCC) in Ireland.  …

Courtesy Joe Baeza,
(Laredo, Texas)- Laredo ATF agents and Laredo Police Officers working as ATF Task Force Officers arrested Ruben “Coco” Ibarra in Laredo, Texas on a bench warrant on a Federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.  The charge is alleged to have occurred on February 28, 2011, at a bar located at the 4600 block of San Bernardo according to the indictment rendered by a Brownsville grand jury just three days before.  If convicted of possessing the Glock 9mm pistol, Ibarra faces up to 10 years …

Courtesy Joe Baeza,
 On August 9th, members of the Laredo Police Department’s Narcotics Unit received information that bundles of marijuana were being stored at a residence at the 5000 block of Moncayo.  Surveillance was immediately set up on this residence.  On the second day of surveillance at approximately 10:00 am., a white Cadillac Escalade truck was observed arriving at said location.  The driver exited the vehicle and met with a male subject from inside the residence later identified as Jose Guadalupe Juarez.
 LPD Narcotics Officers approached the residence and obtained a written …

Courtesy Joe Baeza,
At approximately 1p.m. Mexican authorities turned over Wenceslao Tovar Jr. to U.S. Marshal’s custody.  He is being held in Federal custody on outstanding federal charges. He was transported to the Laredo Police Department for processing. He is also pending the outstanding warrants from a 2005 case which include charges of Murder, Aggravated kidnapping, and Engaging in organized criminal activity.  Mexican Military located Tovar somewhere in the country of Mexico and then transported him to Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas Mexico for extradition to the United States.