TRIBUTE

The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) depends not only upon the assistance of other Department of Justice components and employees but also upon other law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. We take this opportunity to honor a state law enforcement officer who has made a special contribution to our work.

The OIG pays tribute to Texas Ranger Sergeant Israel Pacheco, Jr., McAllen, Texas, for his assistance to the OIG McAllen Field Office during a bribery investigation of a U.S. Marshals Service employee and her husband, a U.S. Customs Service Investigations special agent. During September 2000, these two federal employees contacted one of Ranger Pacheco’s confidential informants and offered to sell sensitive judicial information about a convicted drug felon in exchange for $5,000. An intensive investigation resulted in several OIG-controlled meetings in which Ranger Pacheco’s informant made recorded undercover bribery payments directly to the Customs Service special agent. Both federal employees were arrested and subsequently pled guilty.

Throughout the course of this investigation, Ranger Pacheco worked closely with the OIG and allowed OIG agents to direct the covert activities of his confidential informant. In addition, Ranger Pacheco offered investigative expertise that was critical to the arrest and conviction of the two corrupt federal employees. Ranger Pacheco’s timely reporting and complete cooperation with the McAllen Field Office were essential to this case. His actions illustrate the need to maintain cooperation among all law enforcement agencies.

The OIG thanks the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers and specifically Texas Ranger Sergeant Israel Pacheco, Jr. for their critical assistance in this investigation.