(LAREDO, Texas) – A federal grand jury has indicted Henry James Jr. for extortion, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today.

James was arrested July 31 and indicted today by a federal grand jury in Houston.  The six-count federal indictment accuses James of extorting money while performing his duties as a Deputy Sheriff for La Salle County from June through July 2007.  The indictment alleges James conducted traffic stops on Mexican nationals traveling on Interstate Highway 35 and informed them they must pay traffic fines in cash to him immediately or be detained until a judge was available.

The FBI initiated an undercover operation with the assistance of the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers, following receipt of several citizens’ complaints in June and July 2007.   The complaints allege that after being stopped by James for exceeding the posted speed limit, James told each one they could either pay him the fine in cash and be free to go or follow James to Cotula, Texas and wait to see a judge.  The complainants allege they paid James “fines” ranging from $120 to $300.

As part of the operation, FBI agents posed as Mexican nationals traveling alone along IH-35.  According to allegations in the complaint, on July 25, 2007 and again on July 28, 2007, an undercover agent was stopped by James at the intersection of the IH-35 service road and Texas Highway 44 for disregarding a stop sign.   In each instance, the undercover agent presented a Mexican driver’s license and was allegedly told by James that because they were Mexican nationals they would have to either pay the $150 fine to him in cash and go free or follow him back to Cotula, Texas, and wait to appear before a judge.  In each instance, the undercover FBI agent paid James the $150 “fine.”  James allegedly issued a warning ticket to the undercover agent on each of the two occasions telling them they could throw away the warning ticket as soon as he left the area.

The first four counts of the indictment relate to the instances arising from the four-Mexican national complainants.  The last two counts relate to the stops involving the two undercover FBI agents.  Each of the six extortion counts carry a  maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, without parole, and a $250,000 fine upon conviction.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Daniel C. Rodriguez.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.